


The Capitol Conspiracy

by MCacev



Series: The Capitol Conspiracy [1]
Category: The Capitol Conspiracy, the pangea cycle
Genre: Fantasy, Multi, Murder Mystery, Original Fiction, Politics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-13 20:23:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 37,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11192742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCacev/pseuds/MCacev
Summary: Two young guards get involved in a high profile murder case after stumbling onto an assassin observing the target.





	1. Murder on High Street

# Prologue:

## 

Murder on High Street

Early morning in the Capitol brought a heavy, musky air. It covered the narrow streets, and canals, and hung over the riverfront like a curtain before a show. The Parliament’s shiny arches rose off into the sunlight, and the air was full of the sound of carriages, streetcars and workers heading off to their posts.  
High Street, the wide, four-lane Boulevard full of beautiful, extravagant houses and shops was already cramped with carriages and dorians. The nobles who owned the house were still fast asleep, but their servants were out, running the errands of the day.  


Billie Pica, jumped over a worker unloading a carriage full of wine crates and waved at the coachman; Felix Black followed suit adjusting his beret.  


“First day in Parliament?” the coachman called after them.  


“Moving up in the world” Felix laughed. 

The coachman’s head bobbed with laughter. 

“Don’t rush too fast, or tomorrow you might wake up as a Kingsguard!”  


Felix bowed to the men and ran after Billie. She had her black hair tightly secured under the beret and looked excited. She had made sure the black and green guard uniform looked spotless; Felix’ on the other hand looked like it was too big for his shoulders.  


“We should stop at Picollo’s for breakfast” Felix twisted his collar so it would stay upright.  


“We’ll be late. On our first day”  


“No we won’t, we have a quarter of an osten”  


“Piccolo’s is always full, it’ll be a mess” Billie shook her head.  


“Not if you know the right dorians” Felix winked. Billie rolled her eyes, and pushed him away from her.  


“Does Marrow know you’re still flirting with the baker girl?”  


“I let her flirt with whomever she pleases, and she does the same” he laughed “We have an agreement”  


“Uh-huh”  


“Also she asked that I get her a leek pie”  


“Really, when?” Billie laughed “She was gone before we left this morning”  


Felix winked at Billie and she rolled her eyes.  


“You know, you well get caught. Sooner or later”  


“Hey, hey” Felix started “At least we keep ourselves confined to the barracks. Unlike someone else I know, that loves to use the Parliament supply room on the third floor—ouch!”  


Billie smacked Felix on the shoulder, but she couldn’t suppress the grin on her face. She and Anthra had planned to meet that afternoon, after Billie’s shift was over.  


“All I’m saying, I don’t judge how you Anthra spend your time, and neither should you”  


Billie’s retort was cut short, by the hollering on a newspaper boy, who had set up his stand right at the bottom of the painter Ragan Paradi’s stairs.  


“HIGH PRESBYTER SULCAT TO CRACK DOWN ON FIREWHISKEY PRODUCTION IN THE CAPITOL; IS LORD RADAN VARIS FINANCING THE PRESBYTER’S OPERATION TO MUSCLE OUT COMPETITION?”  


Felix burst out in loud laughter; the boy didn’t seem phased.  


“Felix—“  


“C’mon, we have to read Piper Cole’s new conspiracy” he laughed and threw the boy a nickel, in return for the paper. He flipped the pages dramatically.  


“Anonymous sources claim that High Presbyter Testo Sulcat and his allies, most notably Lord Radan Varis, the owner of Firewall Distilleries, are using the Scriptures as cover for an underground operation to muscle out competing Firewhiskey producers in the Capitol. The sources claim the primary target is Rufus Blackwell, the owner of the local Blackwell Firewhiskey Company. Representatives of the High Presbyter call these accusation preposterous.”  


He could barely finish the article without bursting into even louder laughter. Billie rolled her eyes.  


“Representatives say the accusations are preposterous? Really?”  


“Well what do you expect them to say, yes we are indeed trying to get rid of the Blackwell Distillery? Doesn’t mean Piper is wrong”  


“You can’t be serious” Felix scoffed. Billie shrugged.  


“I know her writing can be a bit sensationalist, but there is always truth to it. We know Varis and Sulcat are close friends. We know he financed Sulcat’s campaign”  


“Yes, but would Sulcat, the most fanatical of the Presbyters we’ve had in cycles, campaign to get rid of the distilleries, but leave leave Varis out of his purge?” Felix rolled the paper and stashed it in his belt “I doubt that very much”  


“The embargo isn’t on whiskey production, just on fence-riders. And guess who claims not to use them in his whiskey?” Billie pointed at the rolled up paper “Varis”  


Felix looked halfway between amused and concerned.  


“You really have thought about this a lot, haven’t you?”  


Billie didn’t respond; she took a hard left, down a side road, between a set of beautiful, cast iron fences, and Felix had to run up to catch up with her. They entered the narrow, dark back-alley that ran parallel to High Street. The sun barely reached the street between the tall roofs. There were very few dorians, most hurrying down the many intersecting alleys.  


“I don’t think Piper Cole is crazy, you know” Felx continued as if the conversation hadn’t ended minutes ago “I just think she likes conspiracies too much”  


“Felix” Billie shook her head “Sulcat is crazy fanatical. The only reason why he hasn’t yet enacted martial law, is because Crona blocks every motion he starts in Parliament. But if he passes this embargo…it could start a gang war”  


Felix scoffed.  


“It won’t be much of a war”  


“Well, we don’t know that” Billie frowned “Marrow and I have been talking to some dorians. They are saying the Kraken is getting financed by some big spenders. Blackwell has the Textile District under his thumb for now, but what happens when he can no longer use the Distillery as cover? What happens when he can’t pay back his loan sharks?”  


“Same thing that always happens” Felix shrugged “Someone takes him out, and we get a new overlord. A couple of officers die.”  


“And lots of innocent dorians” Billie said “Aren’t you worried? What about your cousin?”  


“Billie” Felix shook his head “Blackwell is smart. He’s where he is for a reason. He’ll protect his men, I have no doubt about that”  


“If Sulcat senses that he’s vulnerable” Billie said “Presbyters will descend on him, like flies on honey. Dorians will get hurt”  


Felix didn’t answer; for a few moments they walked in silence.  


Suddenly Billie stopped; a shadow passed over her, the kind that made the blood in her veins freeze. She hadn’t felt it in cycles, not since she was a child. Felix didn’t notice the interruption and kept walking.  


“Felix” Billie whispered.  


“Yes?” he turned around; Billie’s eyes were fixed on a point somewhere above his head to the left. He followed her gaze to a balcony; for a moment he could swear he saw a shadow pass over the railing.  


“Billie? You ok?”  


She put a finger over her lips, her eyes still fixed on the balcony. A silky curtain waived out of an open window next to it; there was no wind.  


“Billie—“ Felix sounded cautious, but she had already made up her mind. She transformed into her true form; a small magpie, with blue feathers on the tips of her wings. Felix followed suit; he transformed into a black, bushy-tailed cat, and followed her to the house.  


She flew up, landing on the edge of the roof and looked down at Felix who had to take the long way round; first jumping on the edge of the large trash container and then up the chimney, onto the railing and then further up the balcony awning. Eventually he reached the roof, next to Billie.  


Kneeling in front of them was an assassin. There was no mistake about it; the loose, ink-blue, robes and hood, were seared into Billie’s memories. She looked back at Felix who had transformed back into his dorian form, expression frozen with confusion and fear.  


The assassin got up and walked to the edge of the roof, peering down. Whatever they saw, reassured them enough to walk back to the middle and kneel back. Billie drew her sword out as quietly as possible, and before Felix could protest, she got up.  


She crept up slowly, careful not to slip on the roof tiles. She stopped behind the assassin’s back and just as the poor soul realized someone was behind them, Billie dropped her sword handle, knocking them out with a hard blow to the temple.  


Felix ran next to Billie who sheathed her sword, and knelt next to the unconscious assassin.  


“I’ve never seen…I didn’t believe they were real” he blurted out. Billie shook her head, and turned the assassin on their back; the face was covered with a shawl.  


“This isn’t their usual territory” she said “What are they doing here?”  


Felix shrugged; Billie pulled the shawl off; she revealed the face of a girl, barely older than 15-16 cycles.  


“Pama…she’s so young” Felix dropped down next to the girl “She’s still a kid”  


“They start young” Billie snarled “She was watching something”  


Both turned to the edge of the roof; it overlooked the back of a grandiose, three story house, and the alley under it. The window on the third floor was open, and they could see a man, bent over a desk, looking at some kind of book His hair was ashen, and his face concentrated on whatever was in the book.  


“Billie” suddenly Felix sounded concerned “Isn’t that—”  


“Varis”  


They exchanged horrified glances.  


“Doesn’t he have security? Sulcat’s men?”  


Billie shook her head; Felix could hear his heart beat faster.  


“We need to warn him. Now”  


He nodded, but before he could move; two shadows passed in front of the window; suddenly two assassins emerged in his apartment.  
Billie darted up, and Felix followed her up; she was ready to transform, when one of the assassins turned around.  


Her head spun around and she felt like her memory yanked her back, way back to when she was a child staring at that same face.  


“Billie—“ Felix’s panicked voice drowned through the mist, but he sounded like he was miles away.  


The second assassin, covered like the girl on the roof lifted her hand and pushed Varis into the wall. He screamed, as the first man leaned into him, a knife in his hand.  


“Billie!”  


The knife flashed; the assassin slit Varis’ throat, spraying blood all over his ink robes. Billie closed her eyes; when she opened them again, the assassins were gone, and a shadow disappeared down the corner of the alley.  


“Oh—oh Pama”  


She felt her entire body shake uncontrollably. She couldn’t move or look away, her eyes were seared to the window. Felix grabbed her shoulders.  


“Billie, Billie, look at me. Look at me Billie”  


“It was him. It was him”  


Felix put his hands on her cheeks and forced her to face him.  


“We have to go. We have to check if he’s alive”  


Finally, his voice returned to normal, and Billie realized she was staring at him. She nodded, tears starting to stream down her eyes. She wiped her cheek.  


Felix had already transformed into a cat and jumped down from the roof; Billie followed him and flew down.  


They forced the servant door open and ran up the stairs just as they heard a blood curling scream, accompanied by shattering glass.  
Varis’ maid had found the body, and dropped a tray of drinks.  


Felix ran into the room and caught the maid, trying to calm her down; Billie walked over to Varis’ lifeless body; his eyes were open and unfocused. She had seen corpses before, but none like this; his face and clothes were covered in blood, and it was still dripping. She looked away, when she noticed the desk.  


“Felix” she said “It’s gone”  


“What?”  


“The book. It’s gone”  


“We need officers in here. Now”  


Billie nodded and flew out of the window. She dropped on the alley below, only to see a shadow cross on the roof.  


“No…”  


She flew up, but it only confirmed what she had already thought; the assassin was gone.

***

A few ostens later, the maid had disappeared behind three burly Cqapitol Officers, whimpering in Felix’ handkerchief. Felix had left the room to talk to the Head Officer; a white sheet covered Varis’ body.  


Billie didn’t know how much time had passed; she stood motionless, leaned on the window frame, staring at the roof. There was a knot in her throat; she felt if she tried to speak she would throw up.  


Felix had given the Officers their account, leaving out the part where Billie froze, watching Varis get killed. She couldn’t decide if she was grateful or embarrassed. 

A long time ago she had convinced herself, that assassins weren’t really real, that the vivid image of this man slitting another throat open was just a fever dream, made up by her child mind to explain her father’s mysterious death. But now, that dream had become a bloody reality, and Billie’s entire body shivered.  


“Hey” Felix walked over to her. He had taken his beret off, and his shiny black curls were falling over his concerned face. Billie forced herself to nod, not really able to face him.  


Felix leaned on the window frame, rubbing his tired eyes.  


“The maid says the ledger is encrypted. Useless”  


“Unless they can decrypt it” Billie’s voice was hoarse.  


“Well that narrows the list of dorians who’d want him dead”  


She nodded. Uncomfortable silence fell around them, as they both refused to face each-other.  


“Felix”  


“Don’t”  


“I’m so so—“  


“I said don’t” Felix snapped and looked at her “It’s not your fault. I don’t want to hear you say it”  


“We could’ve saved him” Billie’s voice shook.  


“No we couldn’t have” Felix insisted “Billie these dorians… they could appear out of thin air. They are trained killers. We are just guards”  
Billie didn’t feel convinced; Felix leaned in.  


“Look at me. Billie”  


She forced herself to face him; his eyes had an ember glow in the dark.  


“That man killed your father. I would never blame you”  


Billie knew he meant it, but couldn’t stand looking at him anymore. The knot in her throat only tightened.  


“Well, well. Pica and Black. Should’ve known I’d find you here”  


The voice made them jump up; Commander Turnbull, walked in, his helmet under his hand. Billie had never met a man who resembled a bulldog quite like he did; his chest was puffed and wide, and his legs slim like those of a bar stool. He looked especially displeased.  


“Sir”  


“Want to explain what you were doing here?”  


They looked at each-other.  


“We saw what happened, sir” Felix said.  


“We noticed an assassin on the roof and followed her. We knocked her out, but… we were too late to stop the murder”  


“An assassin?”  


“Yes sir” Billie ignored the disbelief in his voice “She was covering their entrance. Two assassins came in through this window, slit Lord Varis’s throat, and stole his ledger”  


“And you let them get away?  


“Sir” Felix hurried “They could fly…they moved like shadows”  


“Like shadows”  


Billie felt her heart skip a beat; she couldn’t tell if Turnbull was amused or angry.  


“And pray tell, miss Pica, where is this assassin you knocked out”  


“I don’t know sir” Billie looked away “By the time I alerted the Officers, she had disappeared”  


The Commander puffed his chest; he was definitely angry now.  


“So ghost assassins used an open window to murder Lord Varis and steal his encrypted ledger, and when you tried to find the one you subdued, she disappeared”  


“Sir” Billie insisted “I know it sounds…preposterous, but why would we lie?”  


“Miss Pica,” Turnbull barked “I have a very low tolerance for humor”  


“Sir” an Officer walked up to them, holding, a box of papers “We found this in the maid’s room”  


The Commander took the top paper and read it. He then looked at Felix and Billie.  


“Well, I think we better have a word with Miss Burn”  


“What?”  


The Commander ignored Felix and walked over to where the maid was sitting. Billie and Felix hurried after him.  


“Miss Burn. You found Lord Varis’ body, correct?”  


The woman nodded, clearly distraught.  


“How long did you work for him?”  


“About…seven cycles”  


“And when was the last time he paid you?”  


“Sir?” the maid looked lost.  


“When was the last time you got paid miss Burn?”  


“I don’t know…two, three months ago? Why are you asking me that?”  


“Did you know that Lord Varis had accrued serious debt?”  


“I…I knew his finances were not what they used to be, but Lord Varis didn’t discuss his finances with me!”  


“Why are you asking her all of this?” Billie protested.  


“Because Miss Pica, that is something we call a motive” he said and flapped the piece of paper in front of the woman. She looked at it in confusion.  


“What is this?”  


“It is a contract termination Miss Burn. Lord Varis was going to fire you. And you found out and killed him”  


“Why…why would she do that?”  


“Because if he were to die, you would be entitled to compensation. If he fired you, you would be entitled to nothing”  


“I had no idea” the woman started sobbing “I’ve never seen that”  


“Then how do you explain it being in your room?”  


“I don’t know! I would never… hurt Lord Varis!”  


“What? She didn’t do it!” Felix exploded “We saw her, she didn’t do it!”  


“And you expect me to believe you magical assassins did?”  


“Yes!” Billie exclaimed “It’s the truth!”  


Turnbull snapped around, towering over them in his anger “Officer Franz, please escort these two out of this house. This is a secure area”  


“You can’t do this! We are witnesses!”  


“You are clearly delusional” he yelled “I expected no better of the likes of you Mister Black. But you Miss Pica” he stopped pointing at her chest “I expected better of you. Especially in light of your uncle. Get them out of here”  


“You can’t do this!” Felix yelled again, but the Officer grabbed his shoulders. Another one pushed Billie in front of him; in a few moments they were roughly ushered out of the house and onto the street.  


“They know she didn’t do it” Felix looked beyond himself “They know they can’t just…arrest her!”  


Billie shook her head; she couldn’t even speak, she was that angry.  


“We have to do something” Felix turned to her “We have to help her!”  


“How?” Billie asked “You said it yourself, we’re just guards”  


“What about your uncle? He’s a Captain”  


“Maybe” Billie looked up “He’s probably in the barracks”  


“Let’s go”  


They ran down the alley and back onto High Street which was even more crowded. The barracks were directly opposite the Parliament building, a large compound of interlocked cabins and training facilities. It was where most newly appointed guards lived, at least until they formed their own families.  


The ran into the central office. Usually, it was busy with meetings, but today, the rectangular room’s many chairs were empty. The oval table in center was littered with maps, documents and pens. As soon as Billie and Felix ran in, Billie almost collapsed under the force of someone colliding with her into a hug.  


“Billie! I was so worried!”  


Marrow released Billie and transferred her attention to Felix. Her hair was spiky and messy, and it reminded Billie of the quilts of a hedgehog, which was fitting, as that was Marrow’s true form.  


“What happened? We heard there was a murder on High Street!” another familiar voice asked, and a moment later, Billie’s uncle Jay’s hand was on her shoulder. 

He was fairly young for a Captain, having just turned 30; his hair was dark brown and eyes shaped like almonds. His captain uniform was spotless.  


“Assassins” Billie said “They killed Lord Varis”  


“Assassins?” the colour from Jay’s face drained almost immediately.  


“We saw them uncle. We saw them do it. It was him”  


“Did you alert the officers?”  


“Yes” Felix cut in “But they refused to believe us. Commander Turnbull wants to arrest Lord Varis’ maid”  


“He didn’t believe us” Billie said.  


Jay nodded and walked over to his desk; Billie and Felix rushed after him.  


“I will put in a formal complaint. And a request for an internal investigation”  


“It’ll be too late!” Felix yelled “She will be long gone by then!”  


“There isn’t much else we can do” Jay shrugged “I can vouch for your testimony, but Turnbull is in charge of this investigation. There is no one that can step in unless there is concrete proof that he is conducting it wrong”  


“That’s not--”Felix couldn’t even finish the sentence.  


“There has to be something!” Billie yelled “Someone needs to know, the dorians...”  
Jay shook his head slowly.  


“It would be illegal to divulge information about an ongoing murder case. Unless you want to paint a big red target on your forehead, we all have to sit tight and do this by the books”  


***

  


“So did he arrest her?”  


“I don’t know. We left right after that” Billie said dully.  


Marrow sat down next to her on the bed. The cabin was empty, apart from the three of them. Most of the other guards had gone to dinner. Billie hadn’t bothered eating, or changing out of her guard uniform, and neither had Marrow.  


Anthra fussed about with the kettle on the common table. Finally she turned around and handed Billie a mug, taking a seat on her other side.  


“Drink it. It’ll do you good”  


Billie took the mug, but didn’t drink.  


“I just…we were there. He wouldn’t believe us”  


“What did your uncle say?”  


Billie shrugged.  


“There isn’t anything he can do”  


“Where is Felix?”  


Billie bit her lip; she and Marrow exchanged glances. Neither had the heart to tell Anthra that Felix had disappeared, nor the energy to think about what kind of trouble he might have gotten into. Billie felt like she had been run-over by a train.  


“Do you think he—”  


“What?”  


“Went to see his cousin?” Anthra bit her lip. Marrow frowned.  


“They are family. Why does it matter if he went to see him?”  


“C’mon Marrow” Anthra snapped “The man is a criminal. They say he’s practically become Blackwell’s confidant. The last thing Felix needs is to be seen talking to him”  


“What’s that supposed to mean?” Marrow looked at Anthra.  


“Commander Turnbull is right. No one is going to take him seriously if he associates with gang members”  


“I can’t believe what you’ve just said” Billie slowly turned to look at Anthra “We saw them. We saw them slit Varis’ throat. With our own eyes. What difference does it make who Felix is related to?”  


“That’s not how they see it Billie”  


“Who’s they?”  


“Command! The Officers! The dorians we work for!”  


“Anthra, please” Marrow’s voice was even, but it was clear she was at the end of her patience “Billie should rest. And we should make sure Felix is alive”  


“You go. I’ll stay with Billie” Anthra nodded. Marrow seemed hesitant.  


“It’s alright” Billie sighed “I’ll be fine”  


Marrow nodded and got up. When she left the room, Billie looked at Anthra again.  


“He didn’t believe you because it sounded crazy” Anthra said quietly.  


“And because it was us who said it. That woman…it’s her word against dorians who just want to close the case as soon as possible”  
Anthra hugged Billie tightly.  


“There is nothing you can do right now Billie. We’ll sort it out tomorrow. With your uncle”  
*** 

The next morning, Billie woke up stiff and cold. Anthra had left her a note reading “Off to work. See you tonight”. The cabin was again suspiciously empty, and by the time Billie got dressed and at the guard office, most of her colleagues were there, huddled in small groups over something.  


“Billie” someone called after her “You need to see this”  


She looked down at what they were holding, and felt her heart stop.

 

### 

_LORD RADAN VARIS MURDERED IN HIS OWN APARTMENT_

  


####  _Officers pursuing a super powered assassin  
An anonymous witness gives gruesome details on murder, accuses the Officer Corp of arresting the wrong person_

  


By Piper Cole

Billie had to close her eyes. When she opened them again she expected the headline to be gone, but no, it was still there, in bold, black letters. Marrow sat down on the chair next to Billie, reading further down the headline.  


“It’s word for word” she said “Including describing the assassin as a ‘man in his early forties with black skin, blue eyes and a scar on his chin.”  


Marrow looked up at Billie’s ashen face.  


“What were you thinking?”  


“I didn’t do it!” Billie yelled back “I didn’t!”  


“Billie, it’s exactly what you told me and Jay yesterday!” Marrow’s face was contorted with concern and anger.  


“Hey”  


They both jumped up; Felix entered the room, in civilian clothes, with dark circles under his eyes.  


“Oh no” Marrow got up “Felix”  


“I did what she would have” he said, avoiding Marrow’s eyes “I just beat her to it”  


“What if the Officers see it?” Billie asked, throwing the blanket off her. She jumped down on the cold floor “What if Turnbull sees it?”  


“He already did”  


Marrow and Billie looked at each-other; Billie could feel her heart jump up in her throat.  


“Felix—“  


“He was right alright?” Felix yelled “I was a fool to think I could—they would never let me make a difference here. But that?” he pointed at the paper “That counts. 

An innocent woman shouldn’t pay for my heritage”  


“What happened?” Marrow asked.  


“Dishonorably discharged” Felix shrugged “I’ve been ordered to take my things and go”  


“Where will you go?” Billie asked, but she could guess the answer. Felix looked away.  


“Jole…he said he’ll take me in”  


“Felix—“  


“I don’t want to hear it” he snapped “I just…came to say goodbye”  


“Absolutely not” Marrow yelled “Do you think you can just leave us? Leave me?”  
Felix stepped back, confused.  


“Felix” Marrow cupped his face, forcing him to look at her “We are not going to let you do this”  


“You have to” Felix smiled “You can do good here. “I--will just have to take my luck elsewhere”


	2. Death in Parliament

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **Six months after Lord Varis' murder, the Officers are no closer to catching his mysterious assassin, and it seems like Billie Pica is the only one worried about it. Things change dramatically, when the assassin strikes again.**  
> 

# Chapter 1

## 

Death in Parliament

### 

_UNRESOLVED MURDER AND UNANSWERED QUESTIONS_

####  _Six months after Lord Radan Varis was murdered in his apartment on High Street, the Capitol is no closer to uncovering the mysterious identity of his Shadow Assassin._

  


By Piper Cole  


_**Turbulent times have besieged the Capitol, as Pangea’s administrative hub has been racked by scandal after scandal. In less than a cycle, the Condominium changed three High Presbyters: High Presbyter Mel Miller was deposed, and his successor Testo Sulcat shared the same faith barely a cycle later.  
** _

_**Current Presbyter Gyps Fulva, who ran on a platform of sweeping reform within the Condominium, and Officer Corp, has made no effort to enact any of his promises.  
** _

_**Lord Radan Varis’ murder set a chain reaction, leading to the deposition of former Presbyter Sulcat. Unconfirmed rumors, that evidence of Sulcat’s involvement in the deposition of his predecessor, was found in Lord Varis’ personal journal, shed some light on why the owner of the Firewall Distilleries was murdered.** _

_**While the rumors of Lord Varis’ journal are unconfirmed, his close friendship with the former Presbyter is unquestionable. Not only was Lord Varis instrumental to financing Sulcat’s campaign, he also rallied the votes necessary to pass legislation in the Condominium, like the controversial embargo on fence-riders, an ingredient used in fire whiskey production. As such an important figure, his apparent lack of safety in his own home is horrifying.** _

_**The mysterious figure the papers have dubbed the Shadow Assassin, has not only been since linked to six other unsolved or controversial murders, but his very existence was heavily denied by the Officer Corp. Had it not been for an anonymous source within the Corp, it is unlikely the Assassin’s involvement in Lord Varis’ murder would have ever been revealed, as the Corp had tried to accuse the Lord’ innocent maid for his murder, over unpaid salaries High Presbyter Fulva promised to make the investigation into this monster’s identity and whereabouts his first priority; two months later there has been no sign of progress.** _

_**Six months later, and the question remains: is no one safe from the man lurking in the shadows?**_  


Billie sighed heavily and dropped the paper on the counter; the kitchen she was standing in was busy with dorians. It was a late night in Parliament, which meant that the lowly officers and representatives would come out starving and impatient. Pots clanged and clicked, and hot steam whiffed from the cauldron, showering the servants and cooks with the sweet scent of butter chicken 

“Are you reading Piper Cole again?” Marrow asked. She leaned over Billie, peering into the paper. She pulled her beret off, and her spiky brown hair spilled in all directions. 

“She seems to be the only one who still cares” 

“Guess you’re not the only one who can’t let go” Marrow leaned on the counter “It’s been six months Billie” 

She examined Billie’s face intently; Billie hated when she did that, so she pulled back. 

“Exactly! Six months, and the Officers still know nothing about him! They don’t even know his name! This is Sulcat’s closest friend, not some run of the mill street rat!” 

“They could have been paid off, or Sulcat might want to take care of it personally” Marrow shrugged “He’s no longer Presbyter, he can’t just walk over the Officers like he used to” 

“All the more reason to keep an eye on Piper” Billie rolled up the paper and put it in her satchel. One of the maids stepped behind the counter and passed them two mugs of tea. 

“I’m really fine aunt Fani” Billie smiled, but the woman shook her head. 

“Your uncle insisted you need to drink more tea. He told me you’re on watch on the second story outer balcony” 

She watched Billie intently, as Billie took a sip from the mug, and forced a smile. 

“It’s cold outside you know?” Fani continued “And you guards only wear that light jacket. No wonder you’re all sick” 

“Not if you’re here to help” Marrow laughed and lifted the mug in the air like a toast. Fani smiled approvingly, and walked away. As soon as she was out of sight, Billie dropped the mug on the counter. 

“Hate it. Reminds me of the school cantina” 

“She’s just trying to take care of you!” 

“I have enough dorians trying to take care of me” Billie shook her head. Marrow smirked and took a large sip. 

“I for one would appreciate more dorians handing me free food and drink” 

Billie pushed her mug to Marrow. 

“Here. Knock yourself out” 

She looked about the kitchen; servants were still running in and out like flies. 

“How’s it looking? You think they’ll get out soon?” 

Marrow shook her head. 

“They were arguing about the budget for Armistice Day when I left. I doubt they’ll be out before 9” 

Both turned to look at the large, grandfather clock that hung on the far wall of the kitchen, half hidden behind the spices sticking out of the shelf next to it. It showed 7:30. 

“Great” Billie nodded “Well, I’m heading up for a smoke. Anthra should be on break soon” 

“Ah” Marrow smiled, warming her hands on the sides of her mug “How is that?” 

“How is what?” 

“You know. The two of you” 

“Fine” Billie lied. Marrow scowled over the mug. 

“Billie” 

“Look, we are talking to each-other. She wanted to see me during her break. I’m just being polite” 

“That’s an improvement” Marrow nodded “As long as you know where you stand” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Billie frowned. 

“Billie, whatever the reason she left you, it was probably for the best. Even if you don’t see it that way” 

“She didn’t leave me!” Billie protested “We had a disagreement” 

Marrow’s eyebrow disappeared under her hair. 

“Besides. It’s been three months. I think I’ll be fine” 

“I know you will be Billie” Marrow patted her on the shoulder “I just don’t want you to get yourself hurt again” 

Billie rolled her eyes and pulled her beret over her messy hair. Long gone were the days when she made sure she looked spotless; now she was happy if she could find matching socks in the morning. 

She waved Fani and Marrow goodbye, and went up the servant stairs, careful to avoid the maids carrying trays of utensils and tableware. She walked past the door leading to the second landing dining hall, and kept going up, all the way to the second story gallery. 

The Parliament Building was a large, imposing structure, designed to inspire awe to those on the outside, and grandeur and importance to those on the inside. 

The Main Hall, which took about two thirds of the building was a spacious, oval chamber, resembling a theater. There were three levels of seating: the middle base where the Council of Ministers sat, including the High Presbyter, Grand General and Grand Duke; the first floor gallery, where elected officials and representatives sat; and the second floor gallery, reserved for the public during open sessions, reporters, secretaries, scribes, guards, security and personal servants of the ministers. 

She stopped at the double door; she could hear clamor from below the gallery. She leaned over the railing; below her she could see High Presbyter Gyps Fulva on the podium. Immediately she had to search the Minister's’ Table for the Grand General and found him right away; a broad-shouldered, brown-skinned man, with wise, yellow eyes. He was looking at Gyps with an expression that Billie could only qualify as abject disgust. She wasn’t surprised; for a religious leader, Gyps was by far the least pious man Billie had ever met. 

She looked around the room, and spotted someone she hadn’t seen in a long time; Yasmin Crona, the General’s daughter and private bodyguard. Billie had heard stories that Crona found Yasmin during one of campaigns in the south as a child and adopted her. She looked intimidating; curly hair tied in a thick braid and a multitude of tattoos on her neck, chest and forearms resembling feathers. Her eyes were carefully searching the sea of dorians for any signs of trouble. 

The conversation proved uninteresting, so Billie walked out of the gallery and out onto the balcony. Night hadn’t yet fully settled over the Capitol; she could see the last remaining rays of sun disappear behind the city edges. A warm breeze ruffled her collar. 

She leaned over the railing; below, the streets looked like lines on a map, with carriages and streetcars like dots, darting through the landscape. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” 

Billie turned around; Anthra walked onto the balcony, carrying two heavy mugs of tea. Her apron was tied tightly over her grey uniform, and her curly brown hair was tied in a messy, low bun. 

“Hey. I was just admiring the view” 

“It is something” Anthra nodded and handed Billie one of the mugs “It makes me feel small”. 

“This city does that to you. I can’t imagine what Brevis must feel like” 

Anthra shuddered. 

“I don’t think I want to know” 

“You don’t want an adventure in the big port?” 

“I think I’ll stick with the Riverfront, thank you” Anthra smiled. Billie couldn’t help but smile back, feeling a pang of longing. To mask that, she took a large sip of the very hot tea, and started coughing when it burned her throat. 

“Carefully, it’s still so hot!” Anthra tried to suppress a laugh, but Billie dramatically flung the mug about herself. 

“I’m dying. It’s the end. Call a Venevician” 

“Oh don’t be so dramatic” 

“I have only minutes left to live. Quick, grace me with one last cigarette” 

“By Pama, you’re so immature sometimes” Anthra smiled and reached in her apron. She frowned when she found nothing. 

“Billie—“ 

“Gotcha! Didn’t even see it coming” she laughed and pulled the bag of tobacco from behind her back. 

“You know, one day you will get caught. And that day—“ 

“You will take great joy in my misfortune, but today, my dear Anthra, is not that day” Anthra stuck her tongue out at Billie who ignored her, but took the tobacco paper out of her satchel. Anthra frowned and reached for something. 

“Hey—“ 

“What does Piper say today?” she asked, pulling the paper out. 

“It’s just a paper” Billie frowned. 

“Billie” Anthra’s voice was worried “It’s been months” 

“That’s exactly what Marrow said” 

“You need to move on” 

“A man died because of me Anthra. He died and his killer is still out there. And no one seems to care, and everyone wants me to move on” 

“It’s dangerous to be involved with these things Billie. You should know that, because—“ 

“Because what Anthra?” Billie’s voice cracked dangerously. Anthra pulled back, 

“Because of my father?” 

“He died—“ 

“He kept his head down like you want me to. Fat all good it did for him” 

“What about Felix?” Anthra asked “What good did it do him? Dishonourably discharged? Part of a gang?” 

Billie sighed and put the cup on the railing. 

“Felix going to the papers is what got that woman out of being wrongfully accused of murder Anthra. Because of him, the public knows the assassins are real” 

“You’re not Felix, Billie. Dorians depend on you. Everything you do reflects on your uncle, your entire family.” 

Billie shook her head and leaned on the railing. 

“I can’t live my entire life thinking about what could hurt my uncle Anthra. I need to make things count for me” 

“Billie” Anthra’s voice was strained “You are just a guard. What could you possibly do? Who would take you seriously? You will only get yourself killed. I’m surprised no one has gone after Piper yet” 

“That’s where we disagree” Billie snapped. 

“Yes” Anthra wrapped her arms around herself “And that’s why this could never really work” 

Billie sighed and pushed herself off the railing. The argument seemed irrelevant now that she was looking at Anthra staring off into the night. 

Voices cut through the silence; they both turned to the gallery doors; it seemed the session had ended, as they could see and hear commotion. 

“It’s getting cold” Anthra said “I should get back inside” 

Billie nodded, when a movement caught her eye. She followed it, above them on the roof. A shadow. 

“Anthra” 

Anthra looked up. 

“What?” 

“That shadow… it’s him” 

“What?” Anthra snapped. The shadow moved from the central dome to the glass roof next to it, then disappeared. 

“Billie…” 

“It’s him Anthra. I know it” 

Her voice almost sounded terrified; Anthra stepped back uncertainly. 

“O-okay. What should we do?” 

The commotion in the hallway grew louder; dorians started spilling out of the gallery doors. 

“Oh no” 

“Anthra” Billie grabbed her shoulders “You have to find my uncle. Tell him the assassins are here” 

“What are you going to do?” 

“I’ll follow them. Find out who they are after. And warn them” 

“Billie—“ 

“Please!” 

“Alright” Anthra blurted out; before she had time to move, Billie turned into her magpie form and darted to the roof. 

She almost flew straight into two assassins, crouched on the edge of the central dome, overlooking the offices through the stained-glass roof in next to it. 

“Is Alistair in position” a female voice asked, and Billie ducked between the short fence and metal ring of the dome. 

“He’s on target now. Point of entry is the office” a male voice replied. 

“Eyes on the General. Move out” 

The two assassins disappeared, and two shadows darted forward, on the dome and then under it. Billie followed them, and entered the first open window she found, transforming back into a dorian. 

There was only one person they could be referring to, and he just emerged from one of the gallery’s side doors, accompanied by two Kingsguard officers. 

“General Crona!” she shouted and ran after him; whether he didn’t hear or ignored her, she couldn’t tell, but he disappeared around the corner. Before she could reach him, one of the Kingsguards stopped her. 

“Away. The General is not to be disturbed” 

“The assassins are here. They are after him!” 

The Kingsguard burst out laughing. Someone else got out of the room; Billie immediately recognized her: Yasmin. 

“This isn’t a joke!” Billie insisted “They are going after him as we speak!” 

“Leave the protection to us girlie” the Kingsguard said, more aggressively than the first time “You can tell your ghost stories to the paper” 

“Yeah, tell ‘em to that Piper girl!” 

They all laughed, including Yasmin, who just shook her head and went down the hallway. Billie felt the panic rise in her chest. 

“You have to warn him!” 

“Listen girl. Go away before I lose my patience” the guard’s voice became threatening. 

Billie backed off; her mind was racing, trying to come up with a different solution. She tried to think what the General could be doing; he never dined at the Parliament Hall, and he usually left long after everyone else— 

His office! Third floor, right under the large stained-glass roof next to the small botanical garden. 

She ran down the hallway, and flew out of the window. She took a turn around the dome, and over the botanical garden. 

She landed on the large, circular skylight, looking straight into Crona’s office. He walked in, joined Yasmin and one of his Kingsguards. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but they seemed to be having a heated discussion. 

She looked around; there wasn’t anyone in sight. With her heart beating so fast, she felt it trying to escape her chest, Billie turned back into dorian, and tried to open the skylight. It was closed shut. Bellow her, Crona had taken out a bottle of ale and two glasses from his cabinet, and the Kingsguard left the room. 

Suddenly, Billie saw it; a shadow, sneaking past the glass and through a window. 

She screamed and hit the glass; Yasmin looked up, just as three assassins appeared in the room. She drew her sword out, but one of the assassins lifted their hand and Yasmin flew up in the air. The assassin flung her across the room, and she collided painfully with the marble floor. Her sword flew out of her grasp and into the assassin’s outstretched hand. 

The assassin threw the sword to their leader, who caught it mid-air. Without hesitation, he walked over to Crona, yanked him up, and drove the sword deep into his chest. 

When he pulled it out, blood splattered everywhere. 

Billie screamed loudly, and tripped on the metal wiring of the skylight. She fell on the glass panel and rolled down, crashing into the fence. A few inches lower, and she would have been a goner. 

She got up, when she felt a freezing breeze on her back. 

“Hush, hush little bird” 

Billie tried to move, but her muscles wouldn’t cooperate. The assassin lifted her hand and Billie flew up, turning into the air to face the assassin. 

“Time for you to go to sleep” she whispered. 

“No!” Billie screamed, as the ground under her feet disappeared and she fell into nothingness. All she could see were the assassin’s brown eyes, seared into her mind. 

Then something caught her fall and she collided painfully with branch, then another then another, and finally what felt like tiles. She only had a moment to see greenery and flowers, before everything went black. 

***

  


Billie opened her eyes. Everything around her was black, and she felt something gently touch her face. She closed them again, and with difficulty, lifted her hand to her face and touched something soft and wet. 

When she opened her eyes again, she saw the outline of leaves. She tried to get up, but felt a searing pain in her ribs and leg, and her head spun around. 

It took her more than a few minutes before she could finally force herself to get up. She had fallen on a tall topiary, and its branches and leaves had cushioned her fall. She almost wondered if the assassin had dropped her there on purpose; anywhere else and her spine would have been shattered. 

In the distance she could hear the sirens; the city was under martial law. Slowly and painfully, she limped through the greenhouse to the small door that lead into the third floor hallway. It was swarming with officers, and yet no one seemed to have thought to go outside, or notice the bleeding, limping woman that just walked in. 

“Pica! Pama, you look horrible! What happened to you?” 

“She turned around and saw one of her squad members run up to her. 

“I—I” 

“Never mind that, the Commander wants everyone to report to him! The Grand General has been murdered!” 

“I know” Billie said “One of the assassins knocked me off the roof” 

“Assassins? What assassins? It was her! His own daughter!” 

“What?” 

“Yeah” the boy nodded excitedly “Yasmin Crona! The Kingsguard found her over his body!” 

“Pama! Billie!” 

Marrow ran down the hallway, accompanied by Anthra and Jay. 

“We were so worried” Anthra exclaimed and hugged her tightly. Billie winced. 

“What happened?” she asked. 

“Anthra called me, but…it was too late. The Kingsguards…they already took her away” 

“What happened to you?” Marrow released her. 

“An assassin threw me off the roof” she ignored Anthra’s terrified gasp and turned to Jay “She didn’t do it uncle. I saw them” 

“Oh Billie” Marrow hugged her again; Billie stared off at the commotion of dorians around her, but she wasn’t really looking. In her mind only one thing was clear; Find Alistair.


	3. The False Portrait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
>  **It's been two months since Yasmin Crona was arrested for the murder of the Grand General. Two months of Billie searching for the assassin Alistair. Now, Felix may have some answers; but they require going through his new boss, the notorious leader of the Hounds Gang, Rufus Blackwell.**   
> 

# Chapter 2

## 

The False Portrait

### 

**Where is Yasmin Crona?**

#### 

_Two months since the arrest of the former Grand Protector, and Yasmin Crona has vanished in the depths of Redhill Prison, without an official indictment or sentence, and no visitors._

### 

**Grand General Aura Monacha puts an end to the Ikranian Conquest**

#### 

_Two days after beloved Shieldbearer Furor Fotti and his entire squadron were tragically killed in an Ikranian raid, the newly appointed Grand General signs a retreat order for all Dorian troops from the North._

### 

**Strikes Erupt in Three Districts**

#### 

_Textile, Canning, and Meatpacking workers join the dock workers in widespread protest against inhumane working conditions, low salaries and sub-par safety protocols._

Billie threw the paper on the table. She ran her hand through her messy hair, feeling the exhaustion press on her eyes.  


She knew reading the papers in the early morning was a sure way to get a headache, but she couldn’t help it. The past two months had been rough; she didn’t remember a time where the Capitol was that tense. Crona’s murder had submerged the city under a cloud of fear and uncertainty that was not alleviated by the appointment of the new Grand General or the lack of news on Crona’s assassination.  


“Hey” Marrow walked into the barracks. She was holding her coat in one arm; despite knowing her for cycles, Billie was always surprised when she saw her in civilian clothes.  


Marrow looked around to make sure they were alone.  


“Are you meeting Felix?” she asked quietly. Billie nodded.  


“Make sure to take the alleys behind Garten. Security on King-Street’s increased due to the strikes.”  


“Yeah, I’ll be careful” Billie got up “What are you up to?”  


“Nothing fun” Marrow frowned “My mother’s check didn’t come again. I have to go to the bank and probably yell at them again”  


“I’m sorry” Billie put her coat on “If anyone can yell a bank into submission it’s you”  


“I know” Marrow laughed “I wonder why the Kraken doesn’t just hire me, instead of robbing them”  


“He’d probably pay better” Billie shrugged.  


“Definitely” Marrow nodded “Take care Billie. See you at 6”

***

  


Garten Square was the central hub of the Capitol; a rectangular area of open space, its crowning jewel was the beautiful central park, wrapped in the King-street Boulevard. The Square was home to the Opera House, and the Residences of the High Presbyter and Grand General.  


After Crona’s murder, the majority of Billie’s squad including her and Marrow were reassigned to Garten Square, as the perimeter security of the High Presbyter Residence. While a less flashy position, it gave Billie lots of free time, time, that she had been filling up with other, significantly less legal things.  


Yasmin had been moved to the notorious Redhill Prison, situated at the very edge of the Capitol. No one knew how long the Inquisition planned to keep her there, or why they had not filed an official indictment, but Billie didn’t plan on waiting to find out. She and Felix had been working on a plan to break Yasmin out of Redhill for the past two months, in addition to their attempts to find the assassin’s base. They had combed through the Textile District, but the only information they had managed to find was what Billie already knew: his names was Alistair.  


“THEY TREAT US LIKE CATTLE! WORKING DAY AND NIGHT, WITH NO BREAKS, NO SICK LEAVE—“  


She looked up from her thoughts; a makeshift stage had been set up at one of the park’s entrances. Workers, dressed in their ragged, worn out vests were gathered on and around it. Their leader was yelling into a large megaphone; signs reading “RIGHT TO WORK, NOT TO DIE”, “SUPPORT WORKER RIGHTS” and 

“NEGOTIATE, NOT DICTATE” were littering the mass of people around the stage.  


“IF THE CONDOMINIUM WON’T LISTEN TO OUR DEMANDS, WE WILL SHUT DOWN THE CAPITOL’S INDUSTRY!” the man hollered and the crowd cheered his words.  


In the corner of her eye, Billie saw guard berets and officer helmets moving through the crowd toward the stage, and she took a sharp right to avoid them. She walked down one of the alleys that led to the Square, then took another right, on a long, narrow street that lead right into the Textile District.  


She rushed forward, not really paying attention to the road or the dorians she passed. She had gone down that same street too many times to count in the last two months.  


The air grew colder around her, and she pulled the coat tighter. A breeze…and a shadow out of place.  


She stopped abruptly, and kneeled pretending to have dropped something. She could see a shadow moving, in the corner of the street. In her inattention, she had wandered off in a dead end; a large trash container blocked the road forward.  


Billie looked around quickly; she spotted an open window in the building to her right, just above the awning of a closed store.  


Her time had run up; the shadow darted towards her, and in a split second Billie moved out of the way of a dart. She transformed and flew straight through the shadow and into the open window.  


It led into a kitchen; there was a pot full of stew on the fire, lots of pots and pans hung from a wooden beam over the window. Billie darted behind the counter opposite the window.  


The pots jingled as first one, then a second shadow appeared in the window.  


“She’s here. Quiet” she heard a whisper. One of the shadows continued down the wall and out of the kitchen.  


Billie looked around; there was a heavy pan on the shelf opposite her.  


A gust of cold wind blew over her shoulder and Billie transformed just as another dart flew past her. She threw herself over the pan and threw it around her, hitting her pursuer right in the face.  


The assassin tethered backwards, colliding in the counter and toppling over it, along with all the glasses, plates and spices that were on it. The noise was loud enough to alert the entire street, and Billie used the distraction to go for the widow.  


“You!”  


She turned around just as the second assassin emerged into the room. She flung her hand and Billie flew back, hitting the counter hard.  


“Alistair send his regards” the assassin snapped, when she stopped unnaturally, mid-air. A crossbow bolt stuck out of her shoulder and she fell on her knees, grabbing it with her hand.  


Felix emerged over the window; Billie felt a stone drop of her chest. He ran up to the assassin who struggled to get back on her feet and pushed her back into the shelf behind her, spices flying everywhere.  


“Who are you?” he hissed, drawing his sword out “How does Alistair know her?”  


The girl said nothing, struggling to push Felix off of her.  


“Why does he want her dead?” he growled, pointing the sword at her throat. She glared at Felix with pure hatred, when suddenly her eyes rolled back and her entire body started convulsing.  


“No!” both Billie and Felix exclaimed; Felix caught her before she fell to the ground and turned her head to the side so she wouldn’t swallow her tongue. After a few moments of uncontrollable tremors, the girls’ consciousness left her.  


“Damn it!” Felix yelled “Every single one we catch! They all do the same thing!”  


“It must be a jinx” Billie frowned, kneeling by the girl “They can’t say anything even if they want to”  


“That’s really powerful stuff” Felix said as Billie searched the girls’ robes “Whoever this Alistair is working for, must pay for the best black magic on the market”  


“Nothing, just darts and chokedust” Billie said “Not even a good luck charm”  


“All the good it would do her” Felix sighed “What did you do with the other one?”  


“Knocked her out with a frying pan” Billie got up.  


“…Whatever works, I guess”  


“The owner will probably call the Officers soon. We should get out of here”  


“Leave them?”  


Billie considered it.  


“They can’t get anything out of her. At most they’ll charge her with petty theft”  


“Leave them, then”  


They could hear the commotion from under them, and hurried over the window and down the alley. After they put a solid distance between themselves and the house, Billie turned to Felix.  


“Any luck with the warden?” she asked.  


“Kind of” Felix said “I got his name. But, uh…we might have a slight problem”  


“What?”  


“I…sort of told Blackwell”  


“What?!” Billie stopped in the middle of the street.  


“I didn’t have a choice!” Felix hurried “He found out I’d been going off, hiding things, asking around about Crona’s murder and assassins. He thought I was going to turn on him!”  


“And?”  


“Well he said he’ll help us. He said he knows a way to get the warden to give us the combination to every cell, and he might even know someone who can lead us to Alistair”  


“Really? And he’ll volunteer all of this information”  


“For a price” Felix looked away “He wants us to do a job for him”  


“Us?” Billie stopped “Felix…you told him about me?”  


“Billie—“  


“Felix! You’re out of the force now, but I’m not! You could get me in serious trouble! My uncle could get discharged!”  


“Well what we’re doing now could have the exact same consequences too” Felix insisted “And if Blackwell really does know a way to help us, it could save us months of work!”  


“Felix” Billie was beside herself “Blackwell could be lying!”  


“Why would he do that?” Felix crossed his arms “He keeps his promises, and he probably has a reason as to why he would want to help us!”  


“Well have you considered that reason might not be altruistic?”  


“Of course, but he’s our best shot at getting the warden! Do you have better ideas?”  


Billie hesitated; her mind was racing, but she knew Felix was right. They had spent months trying to find a way into the prison, and the warden was their only real chance. Felix seemed to sense her thoughts.  


“Billie listen. I know you don’t like Blackwell, but he keeps his word. He’s not trying to set us up, I swear. I promise, if anything goes wrong, I won’t let you take the fall”  


Billie considered his words for a moment; as much as her better judgement told her to run, the part that wanted to see Alistair behind bars, if not dead, was louder.  


“Alright”  


Felix smiled with relief.  


“Alright. Let’s take a tour of Blackwell Distillery”  


***

  


Blackwell Distillery was a large, concrete building with many small windows. It lay at the heart of the Textile District, the last vestige of the once thriving, industrial hub of the Capitol. With cheaper labour and more favourable climate, Brevis had replaced the Capitol as the centre of industry, leaving areas like the Textile District struggling to survive. Petty crime was rampant, and the District controlled by one man; the man Billie was about to meet, the Textile District’s de-facto ruler, Rufus Blackwell.  


With a greyhound as his true form, Blackwell had made a name and fortune as one of the Capitol’s fastest racers. After injuring his leg he had bought the Distillery, and tripled his fortune.  


“Back so soon Black” they stopped at the entrance gate. Two dorians, both rough looking and burly blocked their way, one wearing a page hat. Felix nodded, and the man grinned, opening the gate for them.  


The yard was large, holding several warehouses and the large, copper stills used for fermentation. Dorians, men and women, all fairly young were rushing about. 

Billie was surprised to see they looked calm and busy.  


Felix seemed to guess Billie’s reservations.  


“Blackwell’s employees are some of the poorest, most unemployable folks in the Capitol. He trains them, gives them housing and food, and pays them an earnest wage. To these dorians, he is their hero”  


“Well do they know their hero is the head of a racketeering operation in the Textile District?”  


“How is that different from the location tax the Condominium is charging other factories? Or oil tax? Or gas? At least Blackwell guarantees protection in the Textile District”  


“If you are paying him”  


“Without Blackwell, the Textile District would be in shambles”  


Billie frowned, but said nothing. Ever since Felix left the force, his views had slowly but surely skewed in favor of Blackwell, and she didn’t have the heart or the patience to argue against him.  


They entered the main building, and passed by many stills, and up the walkway leading to the offices. The administrative area was devoid of workers; the faces here were all rough and scarred, Blackwell’s enforcers. They gave Billie unwelcoming and suspicious looks, as Felix lead the way into an office at the end of the hallway.  


“Tell the boys the Oasis’ debt is reaching in the hundreds. No more service for service, I want actual, hard, cold coin in—ahh”  


Blackwell stopped mid-sentence, when he noticed Felix and Billie.  


“Well, if it ain’t the Miss Pica I been hearing so much about” he smiled, unveiling sharp teeth, and a single golden tooth. He had an impressive black mustache, and slicked, black hair with lots of grey patches. His fingers, hands and neck were decorated with more jewelry than Billie had ever owned.  


His associate, bowed slightly at Billie.  


“We’ll talk later” Blackwell barked at him. The man nodded and closed the door on his way out. Blackwell pulled a bottle from the shelf behind him, and two glasses.  


“I insist. Our finest brew” he said pouring the glasses “The best Firewhiskey in Rexia”  


Billie hesitated, but took the glass anyway. She took one sip and immediately felt the inside of her mouth and throat catch fire.  


“Not a fan?” Blackwell laughed as Billie coughed and put the glass down.  


“I’m more of an ale person” she managed to say. Blackwell’s smile didn’t reach his eyes.  


“Well, let’s get straight to business. Felix here, tells me you’re trying to pull yourselves a prison break”  
Billie and Felix exchanged glances.  


“We know Yasmin Crona is being used as a scapegoat by the Officers” Billie said “If we can get her out of Redhill, we can get her story out to the public, and take down both Allistair and whoever paid him to kill the Grand General”  


“And you need a way into the prison” Blackwell nodded “Well fortunately I know just the man; Warden Wess Mustel. Hard man to find. Lucky for you, I know just how to help you, if you do a little something for me, of course.”  


“We’re listening”  


“There isn’t a single person in this town, who doesn’t know how rich Lord Varis was. What they don’t know, is since he has no next of kin, his entire estate was seized by the Condominium. And believe me, those bastards have stripped his apartment clean of anything valuable…except his safe”  


“His safe?”  


“The idiots can’t open it. Varis had a very complicated lock, a one of a kind mechanism, supposedly protected by a charm that only he can open. The charm disappeared when he died, but only he knew the combination.”  


“What about the ledger? Why haven’t the assassins robbed him yet?”  


“They don’t seem interested in robbing the safe, otherwise they would have done it by now” Felix shrugged.  


“So what do you want us to do?”  


Blackwell smiled “I got word, from one of his former maids that Varis wrote down a memetic combination of the code on the back of a painting. The painting was seized and then ‘donated’ to Ragan Paradi”  


“The painter?” Billie looked at Felix “The one that lives on High Street?”  


“The very same. He’s a close friend of the new High Presbyter. I sent my best man, Jole to see if he can find the code, but he’s gone missing”  


“What’s the painting?” Felix asked.  


“It’s ‘girl with sunflowers’” Blackwell shrugged “Probably one of Varis’ many mistresses”  


“So of course, you want us to get the painting” Billie frowned. Blackwell gave her another toothy smile.  


“I want the code. You get me a way into Varis’ safe, and I’ll get you Alistair. Do we have a deal, Miss Pica?” he stretched out his hand  


“And what if we can’t find the code?” Billie asked. Blackwell’s smile stretched into quite a terrifying grimace.  


“I’m certain you’ll find a way.”  


Billie hesitated: she looked at Felix’s strained expression, then at the anticipation in Blackwell’s face, and finally shook it.  


“Excellent”

***

“This is uncomfortable” Billie tugged on her collar. Felix laughed.  


“You wear a guard uniform!”  


“Yes, but at least it fits me!” Billie snarled. She was right; both of their greyish-green jumpsuits were ill fitting, especially Billie’s since it looked like it was about to rip at the shoulders.  


“Well, we at least we look convincingly ragged” Felix shrugged “I don’t think Paradi even knows what exterminators look like”  


“If we run into him at all” Billie said “I doubt he’ll be there. It’s his maids we’ll have to convince”  


“Only one way to find out” Felix nodded and yanked the heavy apparatus on his back. They got out of the alley and emerged on the side of Paradi’s mansion. They stopped in front of the servant’s door and Felix knocked on it.  


A few moments later, a somewhat frazzled, young maid opened the door.  


“Yes?”  


“Hello, miss. We are with Blackwell Exterminators. We were called to take care of your rat problem?”  


“A rat problem?” the maid sounded terrified “I haven’t heard of it”  


“Is your master home miss?” Billie asked.  


“No…?” the maid hesitated “, he is out to lunch, but he didn’t mention anything about rats!”  


“It’s possible your supervisor never told him, to avoid alarm” Felix nodded “Do you mind if we take a look around, see if anything’s wrong?”  


“I—my supervisor didn’t mention anything, and she’s out too…”  


“We will be very quick miss” Billie insisted “And professional. You won’t even notice we’re there”  


The maid hesitated; clearly, the prospect of rats in the house terrified her.  


“Alright, but…make it quick”  


She made space for them, and they followed her inside.  


“Are you alone here miss?” Billie asked cautiously.  


“No…there’s workers upstairs. They are fixing a window in the study”  


They walked through the service hallway into a large, stone kitchen. Despite the amount of pots, pans hanging off the ceiling, and utensils and staples in the shelves, the kitchen looked spotless and tidy. The maid walked over to the other end and opened a heavy wooden door.  


“The basement is down these stairs” she said “And this is the kitchen”  


“Perfect” Felix smiled “Well, we’ll call you if we need anything. It might take us a while to set up”  


The maid bit her lip.  


“You wouldn’t want to not do your work, and have your supervisor be unhappy” Billie hurried. This seemed to convince her, and she nodded.  


“Just, try not to touch too many things” she said, cracking her knuckles. She made for the door, but stopped right before it “And stay in the kitchen and basement”  


When she left the kitchen, Billie shot Felix a worried look.  


“Poor girl”  


“Her pay is probably better than yours” Felix shrugged. He pulled the heavy bag-pack off and took out a steamer.  


“Let’s hope it makes enough noise to distract her” he turned it on. A loud buzzing filled the kitchen.  


“Time to find this painting”  


“Like finding a diamond in a stack of coal” Felix laughed.  


The transformed into their true forms and snuck out of the door the maid had left partly open. The kitchen led out into a wide hallway with a long red carpet, burgundy drapes and a chandelier in the middle. The left wall was entirely made out of ceiling to floor windows; the right wall was covered in paintings.  


Billie flews a circle around Felix, then up to the paintings; most were portraits of dorians she didn’t recognize, aristocrats and nobles in expensive clothing. They stopped at the end of the hallway; a stained glass door led into a foyer.  


Felix jumped on the door handle and the door opened; the maid was nowhere in sight. They crept in the grandiose, marble foyer; a spiral stairwell led to the second floor, circling around another, crystal chandelier.  


Even here, the noise of the apparatus was so loud, that it echoed around the walls.  


Felix ran up the stairs; they heard voices from the door closes to the stairway, which was half open. Movement inside signalled dorians.  


“It has to be this one” a gruff male voice said “Why else would he keep it in his study?”  


Billie and Felix exchanged glances; they got closer to the door and peeked inside, Billie perched on top of Felix’s head. There were 4 dorians in the room: the maid and three others, none of whom looked like workers. They had long, overcoats and leather boots. One of them stood in the middle of the room, hiding a painting from view.  


“Well take it down then” a female voice said, and its owner walked into view, brandishing a sword on her belt. Felix ducked behind the door; when they looked again, the two men had taken climbed on the desk, to take the painting down. A girl with gold hair, surrounded by sunflowers smiled at them from the frame.  


“Careful” the maid said “That frame alone costs more than your entire house”  


“But not as much as what’s in that safe” one of men replied. They put the painting on the floor; the woman walked behind it and smirked.  


“May all your days be as golden as the day of your birth.”  


“That’s bull”  


“I can read!”  


“Well what the hell does it mean then?”  


“It’s the combination. It’s a hint”  


“Well how do we crack it?”  


The maid pointed at the girl.  


“Her name is Pieta Varis. She was his sister. She died when she was 17 of consumption”  


“How do you know that?” one taller man laughed. She rolled her eyes.  


“Paradi doesn’t shut up about her, the drunkard. She was his one love”  


“Until she died” the other woman laughed.  


“Supposedly Varis found out and made her move to Marine. He took the painting, like he took his heart”  


The whole room erupted in laughter.  


“The code is 6 numbers” the woman said “The gold part…month of gold?”  


“Maybe it’s her birthdate” the gruff voiced man said “Month of gold, but what day?”  


“And what cycle? Didn’t the painter say it?”  


“No” the maid shrugged “I know she died when she was 17, but that was cycles ago”  


“How many? If we know when she died we can get the cycle at least. After that it should be easy to guess the date”  


“Look it up will you?” the woman turned to the maid “And turn that buzzing off! I can’t hear my own thoughts!”  


Felix felt Billie fly of his head, and he followed her down the stairs. Billie stopped in the service hallway and turned back to dorian.  


“We need to get out of here” Billie said “Get to Varis’ apartment before they do”  


“We don’t have the code though” he whispered back.  


“But maybe we can find Platia’s birthday in his journals? He must have other records of her”  


Felix nodded; Billie ran into the kitchen and turned the apparatus of. They packed it back into Felix’ bag, just as the maid walked in.  


“Leaving?” she asked.  


“Yes. No rats” Billie nodded “Though we sprayed the basement just to be safe”  


“Good” the maid said “I’ll walk you to the door”  


They went down the hallway again; the maid opened the door for them. Before Billie could step out she asked:  


“What was the company again?”  


“Uh…Blackwell Exterminators” she blurted out, shooting Felix a look.  


“Oh, like the Distillery?” the maid said suspiciously.  


“No relations” Felix smiled “We should go now, we have other houses. Be sure to inform your supervisor we came”  


“Of course” the maid smiled insincerely “Send Blackwell the Kraken’s regards too”  


Before Felix or Billie could respond, the maid slammed the door. They knew they were in trouble immediately; Felix dropped the heavy apparatus and transformed into the cat; he sprinted down the street, as Billie followed him.  


***

  


“She knows” Felix said exasperated. They had reached the back alley in front of Varis’ house; Billie was doubled over, breathing loudly.  


“The sooner we crack that safe the better” she managed to say. Felix nodded in agreement. They walked up to the service door, but it was blocked; a large sign read “PROPERTY SEIZED BY THE CONDOMINIUM”  


“What now?” Felix asked. Billie walked backwards onto the alley.  


“The window’s open” she pointed. Felix nodded, and turned into a cat. He jumped on the water duct just as Billie turned into a magpie and flew up. She perched on the window, and almost fell off; the window led into a dining room, and a body thrown on the table.  


Felix jumped up on the windowsill and released a pained meow. Before Billie could stop him he jumped in, turning back into a dorian.  


“Jole!” he cried, throwing himself over the table.  


Billie entered the room; the man on the table was pale, and his eyes were open and unfocused. He seemed to have died a few days ago; she almost didn’t recognize him as Jole, the man she and Felix used to play cards with. Felix was beyond himself; his face was a mixture of shock and anger.  


Billie looked at Jole’s hand; it was clutching a piece of paper. With difficulty she dislodged it from his hand.  


“Felix” she said, smoothing the paper out. Dried blood covered some of the writing, but it was mostly legible.  


Poisoned dagger, Tetrapods are here. They don’t know the code. Won’t make it  


Felix started trembling; the paper in his hand shook so much that Billie couldn’t read the writing. She hugged him tightly; Felix didn’t react.  


“I’m so sorry” she said, brushing his face; Felix’s eyes were unfocused, still staring at Jole’s face. Billie went to catch his hand, when she noticed something on the paper.  


“Felix…look”  


She gently took the paper from him and turned it on the other side; it was a birth record. The name at the top read Pieta Varis. Born Day 6, of the Month of Gold, 2046.  


“Is someone downstairs?” they suddenly heard a voice. Billie grabbed Felix and pulled him into the adjacent room. They heard heavy footsteps accompanied by laughter.  


“Calm down, yer just hearing things. That Hound really got in yer head”  


“Well, he ain’t alive now is he?” another voice responded “I made sure of that”  


Felix snarled; the man walked into view, and before Billie could stop him, Felix jumped on his punching him square in the jaw. Taken by surprise, he faltered backwards, giving Felix enough time to grab a heavy goblet from the shelf next to him and smash it into the man’s face. He toppled over the chairs and on the floor. 

Felix descended on him, hitting him with the goblet again and again, in any part of the body he could reach.  


“Felix!” Billie screamed and pulled him off the man, who had lost consciousness and was bleeding heavily.  


“What in Pama—?”  


Billie turned around; his friend had come to inspect the commotion; he tried to pull his sword out, but an almost feral Felix lunged at him, scratching his entire face with his claws. The man screamed in pain, and Felix punched him in the stomach, then the jaw, with an awful sound of breaking bones. The man fell to the ground and Felix kicked him again in the chest.  


“Enough!” Billie grabbed Felix and pulled him away; he tried to push her aside, but she pressed him into the wall.  


“They killed Jole!” he screamed, like a wounded animal “I’m going to kill them!”  


“You’re not a killer!” she yelled, trying her hardest to keep him pinned to the wall “Look at me Felix! You are not a killer”  


“They killed my cousin!” he screamed again, tears streaming down his eyes “They killed him!”  


“I know!”  


“He’s gone—“  


Felix started sobbing and slowly slid down the wall. Billie knelt next to him, hugging him tightly. Felix hugged her back, crying in her shoulder. It was an ugly sound, like a child, and his whole body shook.  


“We need to get the safe” she whispered “We need to get the safe, and tell Blackwell. Before they come back”  


“Let them!” Felix yelled “I’ll kill them!”  


“Jole wouldn’t want you to do that!” Billie snapped, forcing Felix to look at her “He wanted you to be a hero, not a killer!”  


Her intensity seemed to snap him out of his rage, and his face fell down again.  


“C’mon” Billie nudged him gently “Let’s get what we came for. Finish what he started”  


Felix nodded, and Billie ran up the stairs. They entered the study; it was stripped bare; the shelves, walls and desk were empty; only the safe remained, bolted to the wall behind the desk. Billie had to admit Blackwell was right about the lock; it looked complicated and imposing, with lots of dials and bolts.  


She turned the main lock; it made a loud click. She pulled it down: 06. 10. 46.  


The safe clicked and the door sprang to life, swinging open. Inside were 3 shelves; the top one was full of gold bars. The second had many folders full of papers, while the third was full of silver.  


“Wow” Felix said quietly. Billie had to agree. She pulled the first folder and opened it.  


“Felix” she said “These are all letters. Between Varis and Sulcat. About Blackwell”  


“What?” he leaned over her shoulder.  


“Piper was right” Billie flipped the pages “Varis was getting Sulcat to target Blackwell. He even paid the Kraken to go after banks were Blackwell had gold”  


“Incredible” Felix said “That’s what Blackwell wanted. Insurance in case Gyps goes after him too”  


“These are crazy” Billie said pulling a second folder out “Documents of property seizure…debts. Varis was broke”  


“Explains why he hadn’t paid his maid” Felix nodded, still flipping through the first folder “Billie…it’s from Paradi”  


Billie looked at the letter.  


“He wanted the portrait. Because he missed Pieta”  


“He had no idea what it hid” Billie shook her head in disbelief “He just wanted to see her face”  


A noise from the street below made them jump up. Felix looked out the window.  


“They’re here”  


“Quick” Billie said “Bags”  


Felix nodded and opened the large bag pack that had held the apparatus. Billie shoved the folders then the silver and gold bars. She then quickly closed the safe and moved the lock so that the code was jumbled.  


They went to the window and looked down: the 3 dorians, sans the maid stood in front of the door. The gruff voiced one cut the block off the door with a pair of metal pliers, then kicked the door in. The other two followed him in, leaving the street empty.  


“Now” Billie said and Felix dropped the bag. It fell on the ground with a loud noise. Billie flew after it, and grabbed it. Felix soon joined her, jumping off the water duct. 

They ran down the street, not looking back.


	4. The Bathhouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **Having fulfilled his request, Billie uses the information she got from Blackwell to track down Wes Mustel, the warden in Redhill. The only problem? She has to go through Madame Pava, the witch who runs the Oasis brothel**  
> 

# Chapter 3

## 

The Bathhouse

“We did it” Felix dropped the gold bar on Blackwell’s desk. Blackwell’s eyes widened for a moment, as he grasped what had in fact, just dropped in front of him.  


“We got everything out” Billie kicked the bag next to his desk, and waved one of the folders. She threw it next to the gold bar; speechless, Blackwell fumbled with the leather strap and pulled the documents, one by one, staring at them in disbelief.  


“This…I…”  


He looked up at Billie, his surprise slowly melting into his usual grin.  


“I didn’t think you could do it lads” he cackled “How’d you open it?”  


“We had help” Billie said “A group of Tetrapods were in Paradi’s apartment. They knew about the painting, and they knew who it was. Varis’ younder sister Pieta. She was Paradi’s lover when they were young”  


“She died of consumption when she was 17” Felix added “Varis kept the portrait, but when he died…well obviously Paradi never quite got over the girl”  


“And the fool…had no idea the painting hid the code?”  


“No” Billie shrugged “He hung it in his study, right above his desk. I doubt he ever looked at the back”  


“Romantic fool” Blackwell laughed “There are still some of those types left. What about Jove?”  


Billie shot Felix a concerned look; his face immediately fell.  


“We… we found him in Varis’ apartment. The Tetrapods…they got to him before we did. He left a note”  


Felix handed Blackwell the note; his brows knotted in a scowl; Billie could tell he was struggling not to show emotion on his face.  


“He was a good man. A loyal man. I trusted him with my life” Blackwell looked at Felix. Felix nodded, unable to face him. Billie felt strange, like she was intruding on a private moment.  


“He knew the risks of this job” Blackwell said with no real conviction. Neither Felix nor Billie dared to say anything; they just watched Blackwell fish a bottle and three glasses from under his desk. Billie noticed a tattoo on his forearm, half hidden under his rolled up sleeve. The symbols looked familiar.  


“To Jole” Blackwell raised his glass. Felix and Billie followed suit. Blackwell downed the entire glass and smashed it on the desk.  


“Where is he?”  


“Varis’ apartment. We had to leave him there because the Tetrapods got there. They will have quite a surprise when they open the safe”  


Blackwell smiled at Billie.  


“I like the way you think Miss Pica” he winked at her “You kept your end of the deal. Now it’s my turn”  


“Wes Mustel” Billie said “How do we find him?”  


Blackwell crossed his arms.  


“How much do you know about the Oasis Bathhouse?”  


Billie and Felix exchanged glances.  


“It’s a cover for a brothel. Rumour is it’s run by a witch” Felix said.  


“And that’s exactly where our warden likes to spend every Tuesday” Blackwell smirked “The girls tell me he’s interested in…peculiar things. Maybe you can use that to…persuade him. Get the solitary block codes from him?”  


“How do we get in? I mean…we don’t exactly look like patrons” Billie frowned. Blackwell seemed to have expected that question, because he reached in his chest pocket and pulled out a key.  


“It’ll take you into the Bathhouse unnoticed. There is an abandoned bakery a street from it that shares its basement with the Oasis. This key will get you in on the bathhouse side”  


Billie took the key from Blackwell, lost in thought.  


“Look for Alayah. She’s been there longest and well…let’s say she and Pava have a strained relationship. She owes me a couple of favours; she can help you get Mustel”  


Billie nodded. Backwell looked around, as if making sure they are alone.  


“If I can offer some advice” he leaned in “Rumour is, there are assassins on the roof of the last room on the east side. My men have also seen Alistair enter and exit that room; you might want to…find out who is so important.  


“Thank you”  


“No, thank you. I do hope our paths will cross again Miss Pica”  


“I hope the opposite” Billie said and extended her hand; Blackwell smirked and then leaned in and kissed it. Billie pulled her hand away like she had been electrocuted.  


“It was a pleasure. Felix, I trust you will walk your friend out?”  


Felix nodded.  


“Good. Tell the boys to get ready. I intend to give Jole a proper funeral”

***

“Felix” Billie said. She reached for his shoulder and rubbed it “I’m really sorry about Jole. He was good man” Felix nodded absently. He had walked Billie all the way to the end of the Textile District. They stopped under a balcony overlooking Garten Square; the sun was setting in the west.  


“He…he would have done anything for Blackwell. It was only a matter of time before it caught up with him” he finally said, squeezing her hand.  


Billie examined his face; Felix forced a smile and looked away.  


“I just…can’t believe Paradi didn’t know about the safe. All he wanted was to keep her memory” he said. Billie nodded.  


“It’s funny. All these stories about him being a libertine and charlatan, when he was just a lonely fool. Makes you wonder what dorians will say about you”  


“If they even remember you” Billie shrugged.  


“I suppose” Felix looked away “At least we have a direct way to the warden now”  


“That we do. And I intend to pay him a visit”  


“About that” Felix looked over his shoulder, and leaned closer to Billie “Blackwell was being coy about Pava. From what I’ve heard, she’s a proper witch. And she really doesn’t like guests who don’t enter through the front door”  


“She won’t know I’m there” Billie reassured Felix “It’ll be in and out, and she’ll be none the wiser”  


“What about the assassins?” Felix asked “Clearly Alistair is afraid of us getting close, if he’s willing to send them directly after you”  


“I hope I don’t cross paths with them either” Billie shrugged “Though whoever that person is…they might be able to lead us to him”  


“What if that’s exactly it?” Felix asked “A trap?”  


“We’ll find out, I guess” Billie shrugged “But I really should go. It’s almost six”  


“Yeah” Felix’s shoulders relaxed “I should get back to the Distillery too”  


Billie nodded. They stood in silence for a few moments.  


“Marrow—“  


“Say hi to M—“  


They stopped and laughed. Felix ran his fingers through his hair.  


“Take care Billie”  


“Yeah. You too Felix” Billie smiled. They hugged, and after a long moment, in which Billie felt strangely melancholic, they parted.  


***

“You are late” Marrow laughed, as Billie grind her heels to a halt, breathless. Her beret was crooked and her collar undone, but she had managed to somehow run to the barracks, change into her guard uniform, and run to the Presbyter Residence, in less than half an osten.  


“I’m here” she exhaled loudly, bending over her knees “Felix says hi”  


“Does he now” Marrow smiled, but Billie could tell her mood improved significantly.  


“Well? What happened? What did you find?” Marrow asked. Billie took a deep breath before straightening up; she looked around for eavesdroppers.  


Night had barely taken over the Capitol, and Garten Square was full of dorians taking an evening stroll, walking home from work or just strolling through the park. The Residence steps were well lit, and Billie and Marrow stood under the guard tower. All the other guards were too far to be paying attention to them.  


“We got a way to get to the warden. A key to the Oasis”  


“The brothel?” Marrow frowned “How?”  


“Blackwell”  


“Bla—“ Marrow had to stop herself from shouting “You met him?”  


Billie nodded, and moved even closer to her.  


“He wanted the combination for Varis’ safe. Felix and I found it. He gave me the key to the Oasis’ basement”  


Marrow shook her head incredulously.  


“How are you going to get the codes?”  


“I don’t know yet” Billie shrugged “But—“  


Marrow’s eyes suddenly widened.  


“Uh-oh”  


Billie turned to see what she was staring at; a large, ornate, four-horse carriage pulled up in front of the Residence steps, accompanied by four other Kigsguards. The coachman’s page jumped off his seat and opened the door; a moment later, to the surprise of all the guards on the stairs, High Presbyter Gyps Fulva stepped out.  


Fulva was a skinny, lanky man, with a wrinkled face and large nose. His true form was a griffon-like vulture, an appropriate reflection of his character. Billie never saw him; he almost never came to the Residence, despite supposedly living there.  


“Why is he here?” Marrow whispered; Billie shook her head slightly, still looking at the carriage. Someone else stepped out after Gyps, and when she saw his face, Billie couldn’t contain her surprise.  


“Martin?”  


The man straightened out, wearing the dark blue, puffy-shouldered doublet, and black breeches which made up the Presbyter uniform. His eyes were blue and his hair the colour of sand; he looked barely a day older than Jay.  


“Who’s that?” Marrow muttered, as they watched the two men talk, and slowly go up the stairs.  


“His name is Rip Martin” Billie whispered “He’s a close friend of my uncle’s, but I haven’t seen him in cycles”  


“High Presbyter Gyps” a voice cracked next to Billie, and she almost jumped up: Commander Turnbull had gotten out of the guard tower to greet the Presbyter. He nodded curtly, and Gyps stopped right next to Billie and Marrow’s station.  


“Commander” Gyps snapped “I trust you received my wire?”  


“Yes sir” the Commander said “However, I must again advise against spending the night here sir. The protesters are an angry, dangerous bunch, they might pose a security threat”  


“Well, in that case, we’ll see how good your guards are at doing their job” Gyps said, throwing a callous work at Billie. She felt the bile rise up her throat, but suddenly, caught Martin’s eye. He was examining her face closely, and when he noticed she had seen him, he nodded ever so slightly.  


“Sir, I assure you, my squad is more than prepared to handle things”  


“I don’t doubt it. However, one can never be too sure”  


“Sir?”  


“My Kingsmen will take care of the main exits and entrances tonight” Gyps gestured towards the lot of helmets behind him “Feel free to reassign your guards as you see fit. Now, we have a lot to discuss”  


The Commander bowed again, clearly dissatisfied, but unable to protest. Gyps walked past him and Martin followed him, throwing Billie one last glance. The Commander faced Billie and Marrow.  


“You two” he barked “Move to the basement entrance”  


“Sir” Marrow nodded before Billie could protest.  


The Commander walked away, and as soon as he was out of earshot, Billie turned to Marrow.  


“Basement? Basement?”  


“Think about it” Marrow grabbed Billie’s arm and pulled her to the side of the stairs “No one goes in an out, other than the chef. No one will know we’re there. Or—” she looked around to make sure no one was listening “—not there”  


“What—oh” the realization dawned on Billie.  


“I’ll cover for you. Just…be careful?”  


“Marrow, are you sure? I don’t want to leave you alone”  


“Don’t worry” Marrow insisted “Besides, the more you wait, the more likely Alistair will figure out what you’re after”

***

Billie stopped in front of a storefront; faded, chipping letters informed her the establishment used to be the “GREYSTONE BAKERY”. Through the dusty, grimy glass she could see empty shelves and display racks. The door was boarded up, and so were the windows, though one had a large crack, big enough for a small animal.  


Billie looked around; there wasn’t a soul in sight, and the lights were all of, with very few exceptions in the houses down the street. She took a deep breath and turned into her magpie form; she had to maneuver quite a bit to fit through the hole without cutting her wings on the glass.  


Inside, the store was covered in dust that flew up in a whirlpool around Billie as she landed on the floor. She started coughing, as she transformed back into a dorian.  


“Disgusting”  


She pried the door that lead to the back open and managed to squeeze through. The storage room was full of wooden shelves which were all empty. She could hear the rapid footsteps of mice over her head and shivered.  


The door to the cellar was in the very back; it was surprisingly unlocked, and Billie opened it fairly easily. The stairs were completely dark.  


Billie pulled out a silver lighter, and lit it. The fickle flame illuminated enough of the stairs for her to slowly descend down. She couldn’t even count all the times that lighter had been an absolute life savior; sailors wore charms; she had her father’s light.  


The basement was damp and even darker; the smell of mold was overwhelming. By the time she got to the Oasis, Billie was sure her entire wardrobe would smell like an abandoned shoe.  


Luckily, she didn’t have to walk very far; the door to the Oasis appeared right at the other end, metal and heavy. She pulled on the knob; locked.  


“Here goes nothing” Billie muttered and pulled out the key; it fit easily in the lock and clicked. Suddenly, the idea she had didn’t seem sound at all. Her heart beat faster and faster; she had to prop herself on the door and calm down.  


“It’s just a chat. Just a chat”  


She took a deep breath; now or never.  


The door opened and light bathed the basement. A lantern stood atop the stairs leading into what she presumed to be either a storage or the kitchen. A sweet scent.  


Billie put the lighter in her chest pocket and turned back into a bird. She flew up the stairs and into a small kitchen. It was mostly empty, outside of an older lady who was fussing with her back turned to Billie, around a big cauldron. Billie ignored her and flew out the half open door into what looked like a service hallway. It led into a stained glass door which was closed.  


She turned back into a dorain and peaked through the keyhole; the door lead into the entrance hall of the bathhouse. It seemed packed, as dorians were walking by and sitting on leather chairs. Billie opened the door just enough for her to turn back into a bird and fly out.  


She made a beeline for the large chandelier in the middle of the hall and perched herself on its outer ring. She couldn’t have asked for a better vantage point; the entire hall was visible.  


The lobby was round and spacious, with multiple doors leading off into the bowels of the Oasis. There was a staircase next to the front desk that led to the upper floors; girls in revealing, low-cut dresses in various pastel colours ran up and down the stairs, escorting their customers. Billie was surprised to see not only such a large crowd, but also such a wide selection of characters: there were nobles, officers, guards and even Presbyters and Venivicians. In fact, a fairly large group of what seemed to be very freshly officiated Presbyters sat around a table in the red, leather armchairs, talking loudly and confidently, while scanning the girls that walked pass them.  


Billie looked for Madame Pava and spotted her immediately, behind the counter. She had an emerald dress, with a silk shawl that wrapped around her shoulders and was the pattern peacock feathers. She even had feathers in her tight up-do, which stood out against her white hair.  


Billie waged her options: she could try and take a peek at the guestbook to see where the warden was, or try and sneak upstairs and find him herself. In theory, sneaking past Pava was simple, but if the woman truly was a witch…  


Suddenly, Billie saw one of the Presbyters stand up, as a young, redhead approached him, and follow her up the stair. The decision was made for her; she darted off the chandelier and into the hood of the man’s traveling cape. He shuddered when he felt her weight, but ascribed it to his overall nervousness, and simply adjusted his collar.  


As soon as the entrance went out of view, Billie emerged above the hood; the hallway was long and littered with wooden doors, each with a different colour. The walls were bright red, and they hurt her eyes if she looked at them for too long. Billie flew out of the hood and onto the floor; the redhead and Presbyter entered one of the rooms at the end of the hall, leaving the hallway empty.  


Before Billie could try and orient herself, she heard footsteps.  


“Are you lost? And, Madame Pava really doesn’t like clients to transform in the Oasis”  


Billie looked up; a young, freckled girl stood at the end of the hallway, suspiciously eyeing Billie. Her hair was curly and blond, and her eyes black and round.  


Billie turned back into a dorian and stepped in front of the girl, who looked really surprised. Billie noticed her eyes glance all the way down to her feet then quickly, back to her face.  


“I’m so sorry” Billie said “I got lost, then I saw a couple walk by, so I tried to hide. I didn’t feel like chit-chatting”  


“Ah…that’s fine” the girl said, pulling a loose curl behind her ear “Who were you looking for?”  


“Aaah…Alayah” Billie blurted out. The girl blinked in confusion.  


“Alayah?”  


“Yes. Is that a problem?”  


“Ah, no…it’s just” she hesitated for a moment, looking Billie down again “I had no idea she had clients like you”  


Billie’s eyebrow shot up.  


“Clients like me?”  


“Well you know” the girl blushed uncomfortably.  


“No” Billie couldn’t hide her amusement “I’m not sure I do”  


“Well who am I to judge!” the girl finally exclaimed, red in the face “I can take you to her. I was going there myself”  


“Perfect” Billie smiled and followed her down the hallway and up another flight of stairs. Her heart beat so fast she thought it would leap out of her chest.  


“What’s your name? If it’s no secret” she asked.  


“Portia” the girl replied “What is yours?”  


“Billie” Billie gave her a hand. Portia shook it uncertainly.  


“I’ve never seen you here before”  


“I’ve never been here before”  


“Oh” Portia stopped suddenly “You are one of them”  


“One of them?”  


“You know…the assassins” she dropped her voice very low.  


“What?”  


“They usually go through the window though”  


“Oh”  


“Well, we’re here”  


Billie looked up; they had walked up to the last landing with a single door. Portia knocked on it, and a few moments later, a woman opened it.  


“Alayah” Portia smiled “I’ve brought you a guest?”  


“Guest?” the woman’s eyebrow shot up; she was very beautiful, though signs of her age had started creeping at the corners of her eyes and mouth. Her skin was dark bronze, and eyes amber. She wore a silky, purple robe over what looked like a nightgown and her black, shiny curls fell over shoulders.  


“Portia” she said, not taking her eyes off of Billie “Who is this?”  


“My name is Billie. I was sent here by Rufus Blackwell. He said you could help me find someone”  


“You better come in then” Alayah said. Billie and Portia followed her into the room, and Alayah quickly closed the door behind them.  


The room was small, but very tidy; there was a cloth screen in front of a mahogany wardrobe, a queen bed with many pillows, a fluffy, light blue rug and the window and mirror desk were painted blue. There was a small balcony, with open glass doors; the curtains billowed out. Suddenly Billie felt nauseous.  


“Blackwell sent you?” Alayah asked, pressing her hands on her hips “What did he tell you about me?”  


“About you?” she managed to blurt out, turning to face Alayah “That you could help me. He said you owe him a favour”  


“Unfortunately” Alayah frowned “Who’s the man?”  


“Wes Mustel” Billie said.  


“That creep” Portia spat out, catching Billie by surprise.  


“So you know him?”  


“Yes” Portia said “A disgusting man. None of the girls want to work with him.”  


“Why?”  


“He makes them do things…he likes to hurt them” Portia shuddered “Even Madame Pava doesn’t like him”  


“But she still lets him come here” Alayah said “His money is good”  


“How can I find him?” Billie asked.  


“Why do you need him?” Alayah asked suspiciously “Are you trying to break someone out of Redhill?”  


Billie paused, looking at Alayah; her expression was impenetrable.  


“Who is it?”  


“Why does it matter?” Billie asked “They are innocent”  


“That’s what they all say”  


“Well this one isn’t lying” Billie frowned “Something tells me you already know that though”  


Portia threw Alayah a confused look, but Alayah just straightened her shoulders and frowned.  


“He is in the Purple Room. Tonight it’s Mimi who’s with him. She is young—“  


“I don’t want to hurt anyone” Billie cut her off “I just need the codes”  


“He likes to be hurt too” Alayah hesitated “Maybe you can use that. Is Mimi in there yet?” she turned to Portia. The girl shrugged.  


“She said he comes in at 8”  


They looked at the clock on the table: 8:03.  


“If we go now we can still catch her” Portia said, but Billie didn’t budge. Something in Alayah’s expression made her unable to leave.  


“I was going to ask how you sleep at night” she started “knowing that an innocent woman is rotting away for a murder she didn’t commit”  


Alayah didn’t say anything.  


“You don’t have to answer” Billie said “You haven’t called them in. That’s enough”  


“Alayah?” Portia’s voice was confused “What is she talking about?”  


“We should go” Billie said, not moving her eyes from Alayah “Take me to Mustel”  


Portia looked at Alayah; she nodded ever so slightly.  


“Follow me then” she said and turned to Billie.  


They got out of the room and down the stairs in silence. Finally Portia turned around.  


“What was that?”  


“Your friend has a lot of secrets” Billie said “Some of them deadly. I would be careful”  


“Oh” Poria frowned. They stopped at the bottom of the staircase.  


“Follow me. And don’t talk” she said. Billie nodded.  


They got out into the lobby, and took a sharp left. They went down the doors; each one different from the last and each with a coloured square at the top.  


“Here” she said and stopped in front of a purple, stained glass door, with a golden frame. Portia opened the door and snuck inside; Billie followed her.  


The room was oval, with a low ceiling and round pillars. There were incense in metal bowls on the floor, and lamps covered with silk, purple cloths. In the back there was a screen and a small table with various tools and a gramophone playing soft music.  


In the middle was a table, and a man lay on his stomach, his arms tied to the sides, naked. His eyes were covered in a blindfold. A young girl with black hair had pressed a line of needles down the man’s spine.  


Mimi took a step back, opening her mouth, but Portia placed her finger over her mouth.  


“I’ll be a minute darling” Mimi said. The warden grumbled something unintelligible.  


Mimi hurried to the back of the room, behind the screen.  


“Who is this?” she barely whispered pointing at Billie. Portia shook her head.  


“Alayah sent us. We need to get information out of him”  


“What information?”  


“The codes for the solitary ward” Billie said. Mimi’s eyes widened like coins.  


“That’s…illegal”  


“Exactly” Billie smiled “Can you help us?”  


Mimi bit her lip and looked back on the table. It wasn’t a pleasant angle.  


“Alright. We better turn up the music.”  


Mimi walked back to the warden.  


“What’s going on? Why is the music so loud?” he asked. Mimi looked at Billie uncertainly, but Billie nodded. Mimi jabbed a needle in the warden’s shoulder blade.  


“AGH! What in Pama’s name are you doing?”  


“Listen carefully mister Mustel” Billie said “Mimi is undisposed of right now. You are talking to someone who would very gladly jab a needle in more delicate places”  


“Who are you?” he asked, but Mimi pushed the needle in deeper and he screamed again.  


“I ask the questions here. What is the code for the solitary block?”  


“What?”  


“What is the code for the solitary block?”  


“Go to hell!” Mustel yelled. Mimi jabbed another needle, this one in the dip of his neck. The warden screamed out again.  


“Stop! Please!”  


“Tell me what I need to know and it’ll stop”  


“I’ll give you the code, but it won’t help you get into Redhill”  


“Not what I want to know”  


“Okay, okay! Please, just stop! The code is 3547 for the outer door. Then it’s 77 and the cell number. But that’s only good for this week!”  


“What’s the code for next week?”  


“I don’t know!” the warden cried “They don’t tell me until after they’ve changed it, please!”  


Billie nodded and Mimi pulled the needle out. The warden’s entire body relaxed.  


“Who are you?” he spat out, trying to wriggle out of the bounds that held his hands tied to the table.  


“Trust me, you don’t want to know me. But if you try to tell anyone about this, or hurt any of the girls in this place, you will be waking up to headlines about your nightly visits here”  


“You whore! You will—“  


His voice got caught unnaturally; Mimi had jabbed one last needle in the very back of his neck, where it merged with his head. He flopped down on the table.  


“It affects memory” Mimi said looking somewhat uncomfortable “He’ll be fine”  


“Thank you” Billie said. Mimi nodded vigorously, looking away.  


“Thank you. I wanted an excuse to do that in a while”  


Billie couldn’t help but smile; she opened the door and walked out, just in time to see Madame Pava march up the main stairway, followed by—  


“Uncle?” Billie exclaimed. The man turned around, just as Portia pushed Billie into an open door, before he could see her.  


“What are you doing?” she whispered loudly and terrified.  


“That’s my uncle!” Billie snapped “What is he doing here?”  


Portia poked her head around the door; she only caught the end of the man’s coat and sword as he disappeared up the stairs.  


“Many men come here you know” she said “Also, if he’s with Madame Pava it’s a different kind of business”  


“What does that mean?” Billie asked.  


“She doesn’t take clients, she only deals with financials and security. Well security for her, not us”  


“My uncle wouldn’t have any business here at all” Billie insisted.  


“Why not?” Portia snapped “Too good for us?”  


“No” Billie frowned “He likes men”  


“Oh” Portia’s cheeks flamed red “I see”  


“I should go” Billie said “If he’s really here, than that means I’m running out of time to get back to my post”  


“Wait” Portia said “Will you be back?”  


“Uh—“ Billie didn’t know how to respond “Do you want me to be?”  


Portia’s cheeks were as red as the leather chairs in the lobby “I—“  


“And who are you exactly?”  


Portia and Billie jumped up; Madame Pava stood before them, anger etched on her face. Up close, Billie realised her hair was powdered. Billie had no idea how she had managed to materialize in front of them so suddenly.  


“Me? I’m a client” Billie blustered. Pava’s eyebrow went up in an impressive arch.  


“I don’t recall ever seeing your face here before miss. Or your name. And—“ Pava pushed her pointy finger in her chest “we don’t serve your kind in this establishment”  


Billie felt bile rise up her chest. Before she could say anything, Alayah appeared behind Pava’s back.  


“Let her go Pava. She’s here to see me”  


Pava turned around staring at Alayah. She seemed unwavering.  


“So, another one of your private clients?”  


“Yes” Alayah said and pulled out a bag “She paid, if that’s what you’re worried about”  


“Alayah” Pava’s lips had become a single line “I let you handle your own business, but you still work for me. And in this establishment we don’t serve—“  


“You don’t serve what?” Billie snapped.  


“YOU BLASPHEMIST PIG”  


They all turned around; commotion from the other side of the lobby had made guests jump out of their seats. Pava and Alayah hurried, followed by Billie and Portia.  


The large group of Presbyters had clashed with another, equally large group of guards. There was clearly a lot of alcohol and anger; they had formed a circle around two men who were going at each other with animistic rage.  


“She’s just a whore!”  


“Don’t call her that, you bastard!”  


Billie and Alayah pushed past the Presbyters, but they weren’t fast enough; the Presbyter collided with the guard, a knife flashing in his hand. When they separated, blood began spilling out of the boy’s stomach and he collapsed on the floor.  


Dorians started screaming; a guard yelled “Get him!” and a mass descended on the Presbyter. Billie inserted herself, trying to separate them, as Alayah knelt next to the guard. Pava had disappeared.  


“What is happening?” Jay ran into the crowd; as soon as he saw the guard he knelt next to him. Alayah was pressing a cloth over his wound.  


“He’s losing a lot of blood” she said.  


“Get off!” Billie yelled and pushed a guard off the Presbyter who had collapsed to his knees, trying to shield himself from the punches on all sides. A fist landed on 

Billie’s face, and she saw stars; Jay got up and helped her separate his guards from the Presbyter.  


“What are you doing here?” he growled at Billie “Get out”  


“We need to get a healer!” Billie yelled at him, but Jay dragged her by the shoulder to the door “Go! I’ll handle this! Go!”  


He dove back into the crowd, as dorians pushed Billie out, as they ran through the front door. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs; her uncle was in trouble.


	5. Scheduled for Execution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **Billie has to deal with the fact that Jay's involvement in the Oasis incident might have gotten him into serious trouble, as well as the arrival of his best friend and Yasmin's impending execution.**  
> 

# Chapter 4

## 

Scheduled for Execution

### 

_Bloody Brawl at the Oasis Bathhouse_

#### 

_Bloody Confrontation Results in the Death of a Guard_

By Piper Cole

  
_**Yesterday night, the famous Oasis Bathhouse, which many frequent for less than sanitary reasons, turned into a bloody murder scene, as Presbyters and Guards clashed. The resulting fight resulted in the death of Aidan Cleary, as well as an estimated 1000 crowns in property damage.  
**_

_**According to eyewitnesses the fight erupted over the favors of a lady at the bathhouse, that fueled by alcohol quickly turned violent. Cleary was stabbed to death by a yet unnamed Presbyter. The Officer Corp have yet to release an official statement, though Captain Garrus Jay reassured the public that he would pursue justice for his murdered lieutenant.  
**_

“He gave a statement?”  


Billie couldn’t believe her eyes; she and Marrow were huddled over the newspaper in the guard office. The room was even more crowded and noisy than usual; the rain and the events from last night had made most of the guards crowd in the office.  


“This is bad” Marrow nodded “But if it’s public, maybe Gyps will have to press charges.  


“It’s Gyps” Billie shook her head “He’d more likely come up with some way to publicly humiliate my uncle…I can’t believe he would put himself in this position! It’s like he’s a rookie!”  


“Billie!” Marrow sounded disapproving “You should be proud with him standing up for that boy!”  


“He got into a drunk fight over a prostitute!”  


“He got killed by a drunk Presbyter! In a brothel!”  


“All the more reason to stay out of it” Billie exclaimed “And Piper Cole wrote about it? The entire Capitol will have read it by midday!”  


“What is this? Why aren’t any of you at your posts?” Commander Turnbull burst into the office looking even grumpier than usual “Get to work, now!”  


A murmur of agreements spread through the room, as dorians started spilling out of the office, avoiding his angry gaze. Billie rolled the paper and put it in her belt, as Marrow adjusted her beret.  


“Pica!” he barked as they walked past him; Billie stopped and faced him grimly”  


“Sir?”  


“What happened to your face?”  


“I sleepwalked into a door”  


Marrow had to suppress her laugh; Turnbull looked unconvinced.  


“I thought your uncle was a smart man”  


“Honestly sir” Billie snapped “So did I”  


She stormed out of the room before Turnbull realized what she had said. Marrow released a panicked giggle and ran after her.  


“Are you crazy? Do you want to get discharged?”  


“Don’t you start too” Billie snapped “You sound like Anthra”  


“Billie, you’ve got to be more careful!” Marrow insisted “Your uncle doesn’t need any more scandals right now!”  


Billie had stopped listening; through the rain she saw a Presbyter uniform, and a moment later, Martin appeared, hiding under a black umbrella.  


“Martin!” Billie exclaimed, and before Marrow could stop her, she ran to him.  


“Martin!” she repeated and stopped in front of him. Surprised Martin stopped.  


“Billie Pica? Jay’s niece?” he asked.  


“Yes. That’s me”  


“Wow” Martin smiled “You’ve grown so much since I last saw you. Into a fine young lady”  


His voice was flattering, but his expression was mellow, like he was talking to someone he had just met, not the niece of his closest friend who used to regularly play chess with.  


“Thank you” Billie said despite herself.  


“How is your uncle? I heard about what happened yesterday”  


“He—I don’t know. He’s been in hearings this whole morning. I will see him for dinner tonight” Billie shrugged “I was hoping you might know more”  


Martin shook his head.  


“Sadly I don’t”  


Billie frowned.  


“Jay said you were his closest friend” she emphasized the word “You’ve known each-other for cycles”  


Martin sighed and looked away; when he looked back at Billie, his expression had become hardened.  


“I really don’t know much” he said quietly “But I do know that Gyps is…less than pleased with Jay”  


“What does he intend to do?”  


“I imagine change his mind about persecuting the Presbyter…which—“  


“Won’t happen” Billie’s voice shook. Martin nodded.  


“Your uncle has always been…incorruptible. He believes in the system and its ability to do good, despite all evidence to the contrary. Some would even call it…blindness”  


“Yes” Billie said, feeling her chest tighten “I can’t lose him”  


“I will keep an eye on him” Martin said and put his hand on her shoulder, much to her surprise “I promise. If I find out anything, I will send word to you”  


She nodded, and Martin released her. As soon as he left, she felt her hand unconsciously reach for and brush the place on her shoulder where he held her.  


“What happened?” Marrow asked.  


“Gyps wants to change his mind, but…well he called my uncle is incorruptible”  


“That’s a…strange way to put it”  


“Billie”  


They turned around; Anthra was walking up the Residence stairs, carrying a worn down umbrella and shawl over her hair. She looked furious.  


“Anthra? What are you doing here?” Marrow asked.  


“I’m covering for Eely. She’s sick” she said, not looking at her “What I want to know is what were you doing at the Oasis last night”  


“What?” Billie pulled back “I wasn’t at—“  


“Portia is the niece of one of the cooks in Parliament” Anthra interrupted her “Apparently her mother died a few months ago, and she lost her apartment and job. She told me about what happened last night. She mentioned how a guard girl saved the Presbyter from an angry mob. And got a bruise to show for it”  
Billie reached for her eye unconsciously.  


“So what?” she finally frowned “Why does it matter if I was there?”  


“I thought you were going to stop Billie. I thought you had realised how dangerous this whole thing is!” Anthra said.  


“How can you expect me to give up?” Billie snapped “Yasmin is still in prison, and the real assassin is out there! How long before he kills someone again?”  


"How long before he kills you? Pama, Billie, you almost died once!”  


“Anthra, I’m not going to give up on this!”  


“Fine” Anthra said, clearly distressed “Keep pressing your luck. You won’t be the one to wonder what happened to you when you inevitably get killed, and your body gets dumped in the river. You won’t get to watch your aunts weep over your empty casket or lose sleep over your faith. You’ll just be dead!”  


She stormed up the stairs, leaving Billie in the rain. Marrow’s jaw hung open.  


“I—“  


“Forget it” Billie cut her off “She doesn’t get it”  


“Billie—“  


“She wasn’t there!” Billie yelled “None of you were!”  


Marrow looked around; dorians had stopped to see who was yelling. Billie frowned and turned back up the stairs. Marrow followed her.  


“I’m not saying we should give up” she said “I’m saying we should rework our plan. I’ve been trying, but I can’t find a way around the Trackers. Even with the code”  


“We have 3 days to figure it out” Billie said “Before it’s changed”  


Marrow shook her head “That’s not enough time”  


Both sighed and looked out at the steps; the rain had intensified and the sky was heavy with clouds.  


“Maybe Anthra is right” Marrow finally said “Maybe this is bigger than us”  


Billie said nothing; a guard ran up the stairs and under the guard room awning.  


“I can’t live with myself if we didn’t try” Billie said.  


“I’ll talk to Felix tonight” Marrow sighed “See if maybe he has an idea”  
Billie nodded.  


“Is your uncle coming to dinner?”  


“He’s supposed to” Billie shrugged “unless something went wrong”  


“Let’s hope not”  


***

  


Billie had to take a deep breath; she crossed the brown gate into the small, dusty yard. It was early evening, and the street behind her was empty. Her aunt lived at the edge of the Riverfront, near the docks where her father used to work. She never left the house; she kept it as clean and tidy as she could manage by herself, but the yard was never a priority.  


She knocked on the door; a moment later, her aunt opened the door.  


“Billie! Jay was worried you wouldn’t come!”  


“He’s here already?” Billie said as she hugged her aunt.  


“Yes, he’s helping May with the chicken”  


Billie followed her aunt in the hallway and then the dining room; the table was already laid out. An old radio in the corner played schlager music.  


May’s husband Dhall sat at the table.  


“Billie” he smiled “I haven’t seen you in so long!”  


He got up and hugged her, just as Jay came out of the kitchen, carrying a pan of chicken.  


“Uncle” Billie started, but he shook his head warningly.  


“Billie!” May ran out of the kitchen, wearing a light blue apron. She hugged Billie almost as tightly as Ivy.  


“Are you eating enough sweetie?” she asked, taking a good look at her “You look skinny”  


“Cafeteria food” Jay winked, taking a seat at the head of the table. Billie glared at him in disbelief.  


“Well, dinner is all ready, so I can take care of that lack of nutrition” Ivy said and pulled the chair. Billie dropped on it. Despite the smell, her appetite was near non-existent.  


“Dig in” Ivy said taking a seat next to Billie. The next few moments were quiet other than the clatter of utensils. Finally, May took a sip from her cup and turned to Jay.  


“So want to tell us what kind of mess you have gotten yourself into?”  
Jay frowned over his cup.  


“Why, you didn’t read the papers?”  


“Don’t take that tone with me” May shook her head “I want to hear it from you”  


“A boy died. It was a stupid, drunken brawl over one of the girls. I should’ve seen it coming, but I didn’t, and now he’s dead”  


“So that’s the end of it then?” Dhall asked “Is the Presbyter under arrest?”  


“The High Presbyter wanted him off the hook” Jay said “But yes, he’s still in custody”  


“So…you went against the High Presbyter’s orders?” May frowned. Jay pretended to be very interested in his chicken.  


“Not quite orders…more like request”  


“Jay!” both Ivy and May yelled “What are you thinking?”  


“I am not going to let the Presbyter go free. That boy was a good cadet. A good son. I couldn’t live with myself if I were to let his death go unpunished”  


Billie had to drop her fork because she had been squeezing it so tightly, her knuckles went white.  


“All this over a whore?” Dhall asked.  


“Don’t call her that” Billie snapped. Dhall pulled back on his chair, taken aback at her tone.  


“I’m sorry…a prostitute?”  


“Why were you there uncle?” Billie looked at him “Why did you talk to Piper?”  


“I wasn’t thinking” Jay frowned “I was busy trying to calm the situation, I didn’t think what Piper would write”  


“Bull”  


“Billie!” May gasped “Language!”  


“You knew what you were doing” Billie ignored her “You’re not some novice, you are a Captain. You did on purpose”  


Jay pulled back on his chair too, eyeing Billie suspiciously “So what if I did? I wasn’t going to let it go…unreported!”  


“You can’t say that!” Billie slammed her hand on the table. Ivy flinched back in surprise; Billie could feel her entire body tremble. She looked at Jay whose face had turned white.  


“What about you, huh?” his voice was measured “Want to explain what you were doing there?”  


“Billie!” Ivy looked scandalised “You went to that awful brothel?”  


“I was there on a lead”  


“Lead to what?”  


“That murder, that everyone seems to have forgotten about” Billie snapped. Jay laughed.  


“Of course. I should’ve known”  


Billie felt her anger form a ball in her chest.  


“What were you doing with Pama?”  


“I was there for work!” Jay yelled “I was there to make sure none of the girls spilled the beans on what our commander likes! Because that is my job now!”  


Billie looked away, her heart beating fast.  


“Do you know the rumours I hear about you? How you sneak off, fraternize with Blackwell’s gangsters? Are you trying to get killed?”  


“And you? Going against Gyps, taking to the newspapers?” Billie exploded “I should ask you the same!”  


“A man got murdered! A fellow guard!”  


“A woman got framed for the murder of the Grand General!”  


They glared at each other from across the table; May was holding her chest, while Ivy alternated between the two, like she was watching a tennis match.  


“CITIZENS OF THE CAPITOL” the radio suddenly came to life, making everyone on the table jump up “YASMIN CRONA, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MURDER OF THE GRAND GENERAL STEPHAN CRONA HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO DEATH. THE EXECUTION WILL TAKE PLACE IN REDHILL PRISON, IN 2 DAYS, AND WILL BE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC”  


Billie and Jay shared looks; the radio repeated the announcement, but Billie wasn’t listening. Jay seemed to have guessed what she was thinking.  


“Billie” he started, but she hurried up from the table.  


“I have to go”  


“Billie!”  


She got out of the dining room, but as she opened the front door, she almost bumped into two Officers.  


“What--?”  


“Excuse us miss” one of them started, as confused as she was “Is this the home of Captain Garus Jay?”  


“Yes?” she said confused. Jay appeared behind her his face quickly draining of colour.  


“Sir” the Officer saluted him “High Presbyter Gyps wants a word with you”  


“At this hour?” Jay asked.  


“I’ve been requested to deliver you sir” the Officer said, clearly trying to avoid a fight.  


“No” Billie said “It’s late”  


“Excuse my niece Officer” Jay frowned “She just worries about me”  


The Officer nodded.  


“Let’s go” he said and grabbed Billie’s arm.  


“Where?” she asked.  


“Night shift?” Jay asked “These fine gentlemen are taking me to the Presbyter’s Residence. They can take you too”  


The Officer nodded; Billie didn’t know what to say. She let her uncle take her to the carriage and he closed the door behind him.  


“What are you doing?” she whispered as the carriage started moving, and the gallop of the horses grew loud enough to drown out their conversation.  


“Billie” Jay whispered “I know what you and your friends have been planning for months. I know why you were in the Oasis yesterday. You have to promise me, you will be careful”  


“Be careful?”  


“Yes” Jay nodded “All my life I’ve been trying to follow the law. Make the right choice. But sometimes those are incompatible. This is one of those times”  


“Drop the charge” Billie said.  


“Drop Yasmin”  


“I can’t” she shook her head. Jay pulled back on the seat, smiling.  


“Neither can I”  


The carriage slowed down; Billie looked out of the window and her heart stopped. They were in front of the Residence.  


The Officer opened the door; Billie got out, and as Jay followed her, he grabbed her shoulders. They hugged tightly; Billie could hear his heart beating as fast and loud as hers.  


“I love you. Stay safe” he whispered in her ear and let her go; Billie could only force herself to nod. Anything more, and she would have started crying. 

***

“Billie! Thank Pama you are here!” Marrow exclaimed as Billie got into the barracks. Anthra was sitting on her bed, her face as pale as a ghost.  


“Oh Billie!” she exclaimed and hugged her tightly; Billie threw Marrow a confused look, but Marrow looked as worried.  


“They arrested Martin!”  


“What?” Billie released Anthra “When?”  


“I saw it” Anthra said distressed “Commander Turnbull accused him of plotting to break Yasmin out of Redhill before her execution! He arrested Martin and took him away!”  


“We have to get him out” Billie said “Gyps sent dorians after my uncle. I think he’s planning something awful”  


“We don’t know where Martin is” Marrow shrugged “But—“  


“Turnbull does” Billie nodded “His office might tell us more”  


Without further discussion, the three ran out of the barracks and into the yard. Turnbull’s office was at the other end of the compound; the yard was almost empty. They stopped in front of Turnbull’s door; Marrow peaked in through the window. There didn’t seem to be anyone there.  


“C’mon. Now’s the chance”  


Billie knelt next to the lock; Anthra and Marrow hid her behind them, watching over the yard as Billie pulled out a makeshift lock pick and got to work. For a commander, Turnbull’s office was incredibly easy to break into.  


They got in and closed the door; the office was small and cramped. There were newspaper clippings on the walls, and the shelves were full of folders. The desk was cramped with papers and quills, and the air stuffy with the smell of cigarettes. A bottle of Blackwell whiskey poked from under the desk.  


“What are we looking for?” Anthra asked.  


“Anything that could help us find Martin. Arrest orders, investigation notes, examination notes…” Billie started. She shuffled through the papers on the desk; complaints and unsolved cases.  


“Billie”  


She turned around; Marrow was holding a piece of paper.  


“It’s from Gyps” she said “It’s an order to arrest Martin on suspicion of being involved in a separatist faction? Apparently they have been planning to break Yasmin out for months”  


“What?” Billie leaned over Marrow’s shoulder. The note confirmed what Marrow had just read; Turnbull had been ordered to start following Martin weeks ago.  


“A confession must be coaxed. Use all means you deem appropriate” Marrow readout, and looked up at Billie, who instinctively did the same.  


“The interrogation room!” they both yelled, making Anthra jump up.  


“The wha—“  


“C’mon, we don’t have a lot of time!” Billie grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the office. Marrow ran after them.  


The interrogation room, or the ‘cooler’ as the guards referred to it affectionately, was located at the very edge of the complex, next to the armoury. It was small, cramped and ice cold; it was rarely used.  


“Hold” Billie stopped; two guards were standing in front of the door, armed with crossbows.  


“There is an air shaft in the armoury” Marrow said, and pulled Billie. They crept behind the fence separating the armoury from the rest of the yard and snuck inside. It was empty, and lined with shelves stocked with all manner of ammunition. Straight in front of them was a metal vent, big enough for a small animal.  


Billie ran up to it; the grate was screwed on tightly. Anthra started rummaging through the shelves; she found a sharp dagger and handed it to Billie. With it, unscrewing the bolts was relatively easy.  


They could hear the muffled conversation in the other room.  


“Tell me Martin, how much did they pay you? I thought Presbyters were supposed to be men of faith”  


“Ask your sister” Martin’s rough voice replied “She seemed to be calling for Pama a lot last night”  


A blow, and a crack, like that of a nose followed Martin’s comment; Billie looked through the grate. She couldn’t see much, since Turnbull’s back was blocking most of Martin out of view, but when he moved slightly she saw a self-satisfied smirk on Martin’s bloody face.  


She unscrewed the last bolt and dropped the grate in Marrow’s hands.  


“Wait—“ Anthra whispered, but Billie turned into the magpie and flew into the room. She landed right behind Turnbull, who was too focused on Martin to notice. 

Martin was chained up to an upturned pillory.  


“You can snipe all you want, you pathetic man, but it’s over. Your little coup failed. Now if you want to make this easier for yourself you will tell me all there is to know about the dorians you work with”  


Billie looked around; a single chair separated Turnbull from the door. She transformed back into a dorian, just as he stopped right in front of Martin. He saw her from the corner of his eye and smiled.  


“What are you smiling about?”  


“Oh…just the massive headache you will wake up with”  


“Wha—“CRASH  


Billie collided the chair into Turnbull’s head and back with all her might, and the man toppled over himself and onto the ground. The chair broke off, leaving a single leg in Billie’s hand.  


Turnbull crawled on the ground, turning to see behind him. His eyes dilated when he saw Billie.  


“I’ve waited so long to do this” Billie spat out and hit him on the temple with the leg. Turnbull’s eyes rolled back and he crumpled on the floor.  


“I never want to get on your bad side” Martin laughed. Billie threw the leg away and unlocked the pillory. Martin fell out of it, rubbing his neck. His face was bloody and a blue bruise had begun forming around his right eye.  


“Thank you. I owe you one”  


“You can pay me right back” Billie said “Gyps has my uncle”  


“He plans to poison him” Martin spat blood on the ground “I heard him talking to Turnbull about it. I wanted to warn you, but I got caught before I could”  


“I need to get him. Now” Billie’s voice shook with panic.  


“I’ll come with you” Martin nodded “I can get you in through the cellar. I have words with Gyps”  


Billie nodded and both transformed, Billie in her magpie, and Martin into a sand martin and flew through the grate back into the armoury, where Anthra had covered her mouth with her hands.  


“Presbyter Residence?” Marrow asked, before anyone could say anything.  
Billie nodded.  


“Let’s go get my uncle”


	6. The Vulture's Nest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **Will Billie be successful in saving Jay with her new allies?**  
> 

  


# Chapter 5:

## 

The Vulture’s Nest

The Presbyter Residence was lit up like a stage, as Billie, Martin, Anthra and Marrow jumped out of Martin’s carriage. They had stopped in front of the main iron gate into the Garten Park, far enough to be unnoticeable to the guards, but close enough to see the whole scene.  


“There is a service entrance through the cellar on the east side” Martin said “It goes all the way up to Gyps’ floor”  


“How do we get past the guards?” Anthra asked. Marrow and Billie looked at each other.  


“We work here”  


“Not tonight!” Anthra scowled and pointed at Billie “Especially not you!”  


“True” Billie nodded “But I’m small enough to hide, and no one will suspect you. Especially if you go straight for the service entrance”  
Anthra looked at Martin who nodded, and Marrow who had already dug her beret out of her satchel and adjusted it on her head.  


“C’mon” she said “We don’t have a lot of time”  


A few moments later, the guards at the bottom of the steps saluted Marrow, who responded nonchalantly. Anthra was so pale, she looked about ready to faint.  


“Miss are you all-right?” one of them asked worried. Marrow nodded for Anthra.  


“She’s not feeling well, there’s some cold going around. Nothing a little tea can’t solve”  


“Amin” the guard smiled “Helge makes the best tea! I swear it’s magic”  


“Don’t say that here” Marrow shook her head and the other guard giggled “You never know what Presbyter could be eavesdropping”  


The guards laughed and Marrow grabbed Antrha’s arm, nudging her gently around the stairs. They made their way through the yard and all the way down to the cellar. There was a single guard there, busy reading the evening paper. He barely acknowledged them, when Anthra opened the cellar door.  


“I can’t believe that worked” Billie looked beyond relieved as she flew out of Marrow’s beret and turned back into dorian. Martin put his finger over his lips and pointed at the wooden, kitchen door. They gathered around and looked through the small window; the kitchen was full of servants and cooks.  


“I made plans for a retreat” he said “I have a skiff down at the Riverfront. But we need that load elevator”  


“What for?” Marrow frowned “We can just get out from here”  


“The elevator bypasses the kitchen” Martin said simply “it goes all the way down to service exit”  


“The garbage chute” Anthra shuddered “It’s full of rats”  


“You won’t have to get anywhere near it” Marrow said “We just need you to secure it from here”  


“Me?”  


“You are a servant, you know these dorians”  


“Well what do you want me to do?” Anthra asked panicked “Pretend that there is a dead rat in the elevator?”  


“Yes” Billie said “If you can add a cockroaches too, that would be perfect. No one will use that elevator for ostens”  


Before she could protest, Billie turned into her magpie form. Marrow and Martin followed suit; Marrow’s hedgehog form was small enough to fit through the slightly parted door.  


The three of them made their way through the crowded kitchen, staying close to Anthra. They parted at the elevator; when Billie reached the door into the servant’s hallway, she heard a scream. Anthra took the rat story seriously.  


They went down the hallway, to the door leading into the large marble foyer. It seemed equally crowded with high ranking Presbyters moving through it towards a large, double door.  


“What is going on?” Billie asked.  


“They must be holding a meeting about the execution” Martin frowned.  


“Well then they’ll be occupied” Billie said “Let’s go”  


She opened the door and darted out, followed by Martin. Marrow lagged behind, but the Presbyters, in their conversation were too busy to notice the small hedgehog running to the stairwell.  


Billie had to land at the top of the stairs; the second story hallway had patrolling guards. Martin flew in the opposite direction, towards what looked like a storage door and Billie followed him. The door was just open enough for the two of them to fit; Martin waited for Marrow to join them before he closed it.  


“I didn’t know there’s a water closet here” Billie scoffed at the smell of stale water. Martin peaked through the keyhole.  


“We need a uniform” he pointed “A Kingsguard one”  


“Well how do we—“  


“Leave it to me”  


Before Billie could protest, Martin took something out of his sleeve. Billie couldn’t see what it was, but the answers came soon enough; a Kingsguard walked down the hallway and Martin opened the door and blew the object. A small dart flew into the exposed neck of the guard and he slapped the place. A moment later he fell on the ground.  


“What is that?” Billie whispered loudly; Martin pulled the guard into the closet by his feet and closed the door. The room was very snug with all four of them in it”  


“It’s refined tree frog poison” he said “in small doses it causes temporary paralysis. He’ll be fine. Marrow” he turned to her “Switch clothes and put the helmet on. 

That way we can get close to Gyps’ office”  


Marrow nodded, but Billie could see the panic creeping on her face. The man with them was leagues away from the Martin that used to play chess with her uncle when she was young.  


“Let’s give her some space” Martin said and turned back into a martin. Billie followed him. A few moments later, Marrow was out of her guard coat and shirt and had on the Kingsguard shoulder pads, breastplate and helmet.  


She opened the door and carefully stepped out. She walked down the hallway; Gyps’ office was easy to recognize. It was at the end of the hallway, blocked by a gilded double door. A single window that was cracked open was on the end of the hallway next to it.  


“I’ll stay here” Marrow whispered “Go”  


Martin and Billie flew out of the window; Gyps had been stupid enough to let one of the windows in his office wide open. The office was empty, and Billie and Martin perched on the windowsill.  


It looked like anything but a Presbyter’s office; the walls were yellow and covered in expensive paintings. There was an ornate fireplace, on top of which there were various statuettes. The large mahogany table in the middle of the room was littered with papers and goblets of wine. Even the carpet was opulent.  


Suddenly the door knob next to the fireplace moved; a moment later Jay walked in, accompanied by Gyps. He looked angry, but calm; Gyps on the other hand seemed all too thrilled to keep talking.  


“You know, one of the reasons I wanted to run as Presbyter was to improve the working relationship between the Kingsguard and the regular Officer Corp. That of course, can’t be done without the cooperation on both sided”  


“Yes” Jay said unimpressed “I am willing to work together with you on this Eminence. However, justice must be served”  


“It was a drunken brawl” Gyps laughed, moving to the table. Billie noticed an unopened bottle of wine “I just don’t understand how things got so ugly. All over a whore!”  


“Please don’t call her that” Jay crossed his arms “A boy is dead”  


“It happens” Gyps frowned “Things get ugly when alcohol and sex are involved”  
Jay’s eyebrow shot up.  


“There is no need to make this whole business even uglier” Gyps said “Forgive and forget”  


“Is that what I am to tell the mother of my cadet then? Forgive and forget?”  


Gyps frowned; the confidence in his expression disappeared, replaced by cold anger.  


“I see we won’t find a compromise on this”  


“It seems not” Jay nodded. Gyps smiled and grabbed the bottle.  


“Well, regardless, I respect you a lot Garrus” he said and opened it “Please, let’s put this aside for the night. I am in a good mood; the execution is finally about to happen and we can put our poor Grand General’s ghost to rest”  


He poured two glasses and handed Jay one of them. Billie felt hear heartbeat fasten.  


“I really don’t feel like drinking Eminence” Jay shook his head.  


“It’s a toast Captain. To General Crona’s life and death”  


Jay frowned, but took the glass; Gyps raised his.  


“NO!” Billie yelled, turning back into dorian. Martin was ahead of her; he blew the small pipe he had and the dart flew at Gyps. However, before it could even reach him, it ricocheted off of the air, as if hitting an invisible wall.  


Jay dropped the cup and the wine spilled, leaving a puddle of blood red liquid on the carpet; Gyps turned around and flung his arm in the air like the assassins, and Martin flew up and into the room.  


Gyps threw him across the room and Martin collided with the portrait over the fireplace before falling on the ground. Gyps had pulled his sword out.  


“I hoped you would die by now!” he growled. Jay pulled his own sword out, but Gyps flung him back and he hit the wall hard.  


Martin had just enough time to get back on his feet, pulling his own sword out. Gyps ran towards him and they collided, metal on metal. Billie ran to her uncle, whose breathing was shallow.  


“I’ll just do it myself!” Gyps slashed at Martin madly, and Martin just barely blocked the blow. However Gyps used his distraction to throw him against the closed door. Martin’s sword flew out of his hand.  


Without thinking, Billie ran towards Gyps; he had barely the time to turn, when she collided with him hard and pushed him to the side. The blow was so hard, he faltered backwards, losing his footing.  


“No!” he yelled and Billie reached for him, but it was too late; his behind hit the sill of the open window and the inertia pulled him back and out.  


“Pama!” Martin yelled and he and Billie both leaned over the window; Gyps had fallen down into the Residence yard, on top of a large laundry cart full of sheets and pillows.  


“What is going on?” Marrow burst through the double door, her helmet off. The image of Jay still on the floor, holding his half and Martin and Billie at the window was anything but consoling.  


“What happened?” she yelled.  


“He’ll wake up” Martin growled “We need to get out of here”  


He ran and helped Jay up; Billie joined in and they took Jay out of the office.  


“The elevator is that way” Martin nodded and Marrow ran in front; they could hear commotion from the open windows.  


The elevator was at the end of the hallway, hidden behind a grate. Marrow opened it and they crammed inside. Billie pressed the down button and the elevator dropped down fast.  


“Kitchen!” Marrow yelled and hit the stop button; the elevator crashed loudly. Anthra was standing terrified looking behind her shoulder.  


“C’mon!” she yelled squeezing in barely “They are calling an exterminator”  


“We got bigger problems!” Marrow said and pushed the button again. A short drop and the crashed to a halt again, this time in what looked like a dark, damp tunnel.  


“The skiff is at the edge of the riverfront” Martin said helping Marrow open the grate “We can either take the canal or cross Garten”  


“I am not going there” Anthra yelled “I can’t get any more involved in this!”  


“Gyps knows my face” Billie frowned “And yours”  


“He was going to poison me” Jay said “I could smell the ammonia in the wine. The idiot”  


“You have to hide” Billie said “Stay out of sight until—“  


“Until what?”  


“Until we do what I told you Garrus” Martin frowned “months ago”  


“And I told you then I wanted nothing to do with it” Jay frowned “I am not going to change my mind now”  


“What are you talking about?” Billie asked. Jay shook his head and pushed himself off the wall, still holding his half.  


“We have two days to get Yasmin out” Marrow chimed in “Billie our plan—“  


“Can we discuss this later?” Anthra asked shivering.  


“Anthra” Billie said “Go back upstairs. Mingle with the servants. Keep to your story, they won’t suspect you. They’ll be busy looking for us”  


Anthra nodded uncertainly.  


“Marrow” Billie turned to her “Find Felix. Tell him what happened, and get in touch with Piper”  


“What?” Jay frowned.  


“You started this uncle” Billie pointed at him “Tell Felix everything. All of it, the poison, the investigation, all of it. And stay low”  


“I can take him to my mother’s” Marrow nodded “No one will look for him there”  


“What are you going to do?” Jay asked. Billie looked at Martin.  


“You were going to get Yasmin out of prison”  


“What?” Martin protested “I never said—“  


“I saved your life” Billie snapped “I read your file. Whoever you’re working for wanted to break her out. I can help”  


Martin hesitated, biting his lip. He looked around the concerned faces, and finally nodded.  


“Billie” Jay grabbed her shoulder “These dorians are dangerous”  


“We don’t have much time” Martin shook his head at Billie; she hesitated and embraced her uncle tightly.  


“I love you” she whispered and separated just as abruptly. Marrow nodded and the three of them got back into the service elevator. As Billie watched it disappear loudly into the ceiling, Martin brushed her arm.  


“C’mon. We need to go”  


They ran down the tunnel; it smelled of mould and rotting garbage, quite an unpleasant mixture considering its location under the house of the holiest man in Pangea. Martin said nothing all the way until the very end of the tunnel, where he pushed the metal door open.  


“I asked Jay to join me months ago. He refused. I’m…not sure how my allies will feel about his niece instead”  


“If you really want to get Yasmin out, you should be welcome for the help” she frowned.  


Martin turned to face her.  


“Your uncle is right Billie. I can’t guarantee they’ll be happy you’re there or want your help at all. Just…keep that in mind”  


He walked out of the door into the canal, and Billie followed him begrudgingly. They emerged right under King Street Bridge, next to the rushing river. The traffic noise was overwhelming, not helped by the loud rush of water.  


“We should climb up” Martin said and pointed at the narrow stairs, leading up to the second level. Billie nodded and followed him up.  


“What—“ Martin stopped abruptly, and she almost collided with him. She realised the noise was not just traffic; it was angry shouting too. Coming from a mob of people who were crossing the bridge.  


“WORKERS RIGHTS! WORKERS RIGHTS!”  


“WE DEMAND TO BE HEARD!”  


Martin and Billie ran up the stairs and further down the canal to get a better look at the mob; a line of guards was blocking the way to Garten Square where no doubt the mob was headed. It didn’t take long for what Billie was afraid would happen, to happen; the mob collided with the guards with loud yelling, cursing and stones in the air.  


“Billie!” she felt Martin grab her arm; unconsciously she had made a few steps towards the bridge.  


“We can’t get involved” he shook his head “there is nothing we can do”  


Billie nodded, feeling her chest burn. She threw a glance back; more guards had joined the ensuing chaos, trying to hold the line. Martin was right; there was nothing they could do, and yet she couldn’t quite the voice in her head that screamed she was abandoning her friends.  


The ran down the canal was uneventful and quiet, as neither Martin nor Billie talked. Martin’s skiff was tucked at the very end of the Riverfront, and Billie had to fight the urge to run back to her aunt’s house and explain what had happened. It was better the less May and Ivy knew.  


“Where are we going?” Billie asked, as she climbed on the vessel. Martin hesitated for a moment.  


“Vault Bridge”  


“Why?”  


“There is a pub there, the Bulldog which has become our…base of sorts”  


“Does the Admiral own it?”  


Martin looked at her surprised.  


“I read your file” Billie frowned “Gyps was suspecting Admiral Steller”  


“Billie” Martin looked away “Maybe…it’s best if you stop asking questions. The less you know the safer you’ll be”  


“It’s a little late for that”  


“Not from Gyps” Martin murmured, and Billie had to lean in to hear him “from us”  


Billie frowned and looked away. The scenery had changed significantly; the Canning District was all that remained of the industrial hub that used to be the Capitol. The buildings here were older, their walls greying and bricks exposed to the air. Warehouses and factories lined the riverbank. Up in front, the Vault Bridge, the actual demarcation between the Textile and Canning District looked imposing. It was a high bridge made up of houses in three levels; pedestrians and carriages went under the first floor of the houses, occasionally popping through the large windows.  


Martin shifted the rudder, and the skiff went right, under the bridge. Billie felt a shudder down her spine as they crossed under the deep shadow; suddenly her brash decision to join Martin didn’t seem so smart.  


Luckily, the emergence of the Bulldog was enough to snap her out of her thoughts; the pub was located on the very bank, a three story house with yellowed walls and small windows. A large mural of an old ale brand covered the wall looking at the river; the title “GOLDEN BREW” was barely legible between the windows. A wooden sign of an angry bulldog marked the door.  


Martin stopped the skiff under the little wooden dock. Billie jumped out on the ground, and he followed her.  


“This way” he pointed at the back door of the pub “You should meet the others”  


He pushed the door open; the interior of the pub was well lit, with lots of yellow and red lanterns hanging from the wooden beams. The entire room was made out of wood, including the bar and the desks and chairs. Martin walked up to the bar, where an older, grey haired man was drying glasses with the enthusiasm of a child being forced to eat broccoli. He looked up at Martin, and then went back to his glasses.  


“Good evening Mr. Martin” his voice was hoarse “Admiral Steller is upstairs, waiting for your report”  


“Evening Monax” Martin leaned on the bar “Is Anur back yet?”  


“No” Monax shrugged. Billie waited for him to say anything else, but nothing came.  


“Eminence!” a young girl ran down the stairs behind the bar, carrying a crate “You are back”  


“Yes Platia” Martin sounded exasperated “I’ve told you not to call me that”  


“Ah…yes sir” the girl nodded, blushing. She was around Billie’s age, small and mousy, with brown hair tied in a tight bun. She threw a quick, puzzled glance at Billie.  


“Is Hilde here?” Martin asked.  


“I am” a response followed, and a moment later another woman walked around the edge of the bar holding a feather duster. She was older than Platia, with black hair that had a distinctly blue glow under the light. Her eyes were orange, and exuded intelligence.  


“Who is this young lady?” she asked, and Billie felt strangely exposed under her view.  


“Hilde, Platia, Monax, this is Billie Pica” Martin nodded. Hilde’s eyes widened.  


“Pica? Garrus Jay’s niece?”  


“Yes?” Billie nodded “You know my uncle?”  


“I used to work for the Grand General” Hilde said, with some measure of pride “When Monacha replaced him, I quit on the spot. I would often run into your uncle in the Residence”  


Billie smiled; Martin coughed, somewhat uncomfortably.  


“Anur isn’t back yet, but Admiral Steller said you should go up to see him as soon as you are back” she said then nodded at Platia “Platia, show Miss Pica where the washroom and the towels are. I’m sure the young lady would like to refresh herself”  


Her words sounded like an order, and Platia immediately dropped the crate on the bar and walked around it.  


“Follow me” she said avoiding her look. Billie looked at Martin uncertainly.  


“Go” he said “I should go see Steller. I’ll meet you back here”  


Billie nodded and followed Platia out into the hallway and then up the stairs. Platia turned back to look at her.  


“Are you a Presbyter too?”  


“Uh, no, I’m a guard” Billie shrugged.  


“Oh, that’s intimidating” Platia said “Do you have to deal with a lot of criminals?”  


“Mostly just drunkards” Billie smiled “It’s not as flashy of a job as being an Officer”  


“Why not?”  


“I mostly secure the Presbyter Residence…well used to”  


“Why?” Platia stopped at the landing.  


“I don’t know if I’ll keep my job after tonight” Billie said. Platia looked both curious and afraid.  


“I did something stupid to protect my uncle” Billie added.  


“Oh, yeah I understand. That kind of how I ended up here too”  


“Really?” Billie asked. Platia nodded, opening a small cupboard full of towels. She pulled out a towel and a fresh shirt, and then opened the door next to the cupboard. It led into a very small, windowless washroom, with a single wash basin and cracked mirror.  


“Yes. My mother was a servant in Parliament. A dignitary tried to…touch me, and I hit him. He complained and had both of us fired, but Admiral Steller believed my mother and hired her. And after she died, he kept me around…even though I’m not very good”  


“I’m sure that’s a lie” Billie said and took her jacket off. She pulled her shirt off and turned the tap on; the cold water on her face felt like a rejuvenating potion. Platia handed her a towel, her eyes slowly trailing down to Billie’s collarbone. Suddenly Billie felt acutely naked.  


“So what is this place exactly?” she asked, just to keep the girl talking.  


“It’s a pub. Well it’s only open some days, when the Admiral isn’t here. Monax owns it. I heard he used all of his money to buy it, but he isn’t a great host”  


“No kidding” Billie said muffled through the towel. Platia giggled.  


“Hilde says he used to be a noble, but something happened, and he decided to open this pub. Admiral Steller uses it as a base”  


“To do what?”  


“I’m not really sure” Platia shrugged “I’m not allowed on his meetings. He and Presbyter Martin come and go, and they talk about political stuff. Another lady, Lady Themera comes too. I think that’s who Anur was fetching”  


“Who is Anur?” Billie asked, handing back the towel. She put the fresh shirt on, while Platia fiddled with the towel.  


“He’s a sailor. He used to be in the navy, I think he’s an old friend of the Admiral. He’s very sweet, I’m sure you’d love him”  


“Platia!” they heard from downstairs; Platia almost jumped up.  


“Oh dear!” she said “We better go down”  


They went down the stairs and back into the bar. Hilde was there, holding a pile of fresh sheets. As soon as Platia stepped into the room, she handed them to her.  


“Take these to the Admiral’s quarters. The floor needs sweeping too”  


“O-okay” Platia said behind the wall of sheets. She wobbled back out of the room and up the stairs. Billie noticed that one of the desks were no longer vacant; a man was sitting there, drinking ale. Billie walked up to the desk.  


“Ah, ye must be Pica” he smiled at her. His skin was tan and shiny, and his black hair had many strands that were bleached by the sun. He looked like the kind of man who spent many days in sunlight, exactly like Billie remembered her own father looking.  


“You’re Anur?”  


“Aye” he nodded, gesturing at the bench opposite him “Pleased t’meet ye. Ye must’ve gotten all yer looks from yer mother”  


“Excuse me?”  


Anur laughed “I knew yer father. Back in the navy. I served on the Columbine too”  


“You knew my father?” Billie whispered. Anur nodded.  


“Aye. Good man. Terrible what happened t’him”  


Billie nodded, suddenly feeling tired. Anur took another sip.  


“Did Martin bring ye here?”  


“…No” Billie shrugged “I brought myself here”  


“Does Steller know ye’re here?”  


“I don’t think so” Billie shook her head “Where is he?”  


“Over there” Anur nodded. Billie turned around; there was a door behind her.  


“They’re having a meeting. Secret”  


“Why aren’t you in there?”  


Anur laughed. Billie looked up to see Hilde and Monax both looking at her and smirking.  


“Is Martin in there?” Billie asked. Hilde nodded.  


“How long will they be in there?”  


“Who knows” Anur shrugged “They can be in there for hours. They have to plan”  


“Plan what?”  


All shrugged; Billie couldn’t help the dread that was rising up her stomach. She leaned back on the bench, her mind racing. Suddenly the events of the night made a lot more sense; the poison, the arrest…Martin was there to kill Gyps. Her uncle just happened to be there at the wrong place at the wrong time.  


The door opened abruptly and Billie jumped off the bench. Martin came out first, looking tired. The bruise around his eye had become much darker. Behind him two other dorians walked out.  


“Hilde” Admiral Steller called, and Hilde snapped to attention. His voice was deep, his chest wide and his long hair grey and pulled back in a long braid. There was a prominent scar on his left cheek that went all the way down to his chin “Please prepare a room for Lady Themera. It is dangerous for her to travel back to her house at this hour”  


“Sir” Hilde nodded and disappeared out of the room. Steller’s eyes turned to Billie, who felt the air stop in her lungs.  


“Miss Pica” he said “Are you ready to leave?”


	7. All the Admiral's Men

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
>  **Who are the Loyalists and will Billie manage to rescue Yasmin before her execution?**   
> 

# Chapter 6:

## All the Admiral’s Men

Billie blinked in confusion. 

“What?” 

“Are you ready to leave? Anur here will take you back to the barracks” 

“I’m—I—“ 

“Billie” Martin stepped forward “You should probably go” 

“I thought you were going to—“ 

“Billie” Martin insisted “Anur can take you—“ 

“I’m not going anywhere without Yasmin!” Billie exclaimed. 

“Miss Pica” Steller started again “I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you are woefully under-qualified to be here. The less you see, the safer you’ll be” 

“I saved your life!” Billie yelled out “Twice!” 

Martin opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, the woman who had remained silent up until now, spoke up. 

“Girl, you have no idea what you are trying to get involved in. If Crona is who you are worried about, then I assure you, we will get her out” 

“How?” 

“Billie—“ 

“No, really how?” Billie frowned “How will you get into Redhill? Bypass the Trackers? Get her out of her cell? If it were easy, she would have gotten out herself!” 

“I am running out of patience here, Miss Pica” Steller said, suddenly sounding a lot more threatening “While I appreciate Martin’s opinions, this is a group of individuals I value and trust immensely. I asked for your uncle, a man with a proven record. You may be family, but you are not him, and I do not trust you. I am giving you enough courtesy to let you just walk away” 

Billie took a few steps back. She looked at Martin, who couldn’t face her. Instead he turned to Steller. 

“She should stay the night” 

“No” 

“It’s dangerous. The protesters have made an upheaval, there will be guards and officers everywhere” 

Steller looked at him again. 

“Fine. Monax—“ 

“No!” Billie yelled, her voice cracking “I’m not some lost puppy for you to feel sorry about! I’m leaving” 

“Billie” 

She turned around and stormed out of the bar and into the dusty yard. Martin followed her outside and grabbed her shoulder, but Billie turned around and slapped him. Baffled, Martin faltered back, covering his cheek. 

“It’s not my call!” he frowned. 

“I understand” Billie spat out “Tell that to Yasmin” 

“Listen” he frowned and grabbed both her arms. He pulled her close to him, and Billie tried to wrestle out, but the Presbyter was surprisingly strong. 

“There is a way in. Around the front. By boat. If you look for the third red stone from the left, you will find something that will get you to the control room” 

Billie’s jaw hung open. Martin released her, and rubbed his now inflamed cheek. 

“At least stay the night” 

Billie looked behind him; Anur and Monax were standing at the door. Anur had a worried frown on his face. 

“Please” 

She nodded absently. Relief spread through Martin’s face. 

“Good. Monax will show you to your room” 

He turned around and pushed through Anur and Monax, leaving Billie in the yard, looking beyond confused. 

***

“Have a good night” Monax murmured and closed the door behind Billie. She frowned; ‘room’ was a generous word for the cramped cupboard she was standing in. She was had to bend her knees, since the attic ceiling was so low. The small window was almost the same level as the floor; there was no bed, but just a mattress and a single lamp on the floor next to it. 

Billie crawled on the floor to the window; it looked right into the yard, where she could see Anur smoking. A moment later Monax joined him. They talked while Anur lit his cigarette; Billie couldn’t hear them, but didn’t need to. After a few moments they looked up at her window and she looked away. 

She threw herself on the mattress; her breathing was fast and she could hear her heartbeat. She could only really think about one thing: get out. Get out as soon as possible, and get to Felix. 

She turned to her side, her eyes wide open. Time went on; minutes, ostens. Through the window she could see the edge of the river; once in awhile a boat would sail by, its lights illuminating the rippling water. After what must’ve been several ostens she looked down. 

All the lights in the pub were off; Billie pushed the window open. She turned into her true form and flew down. She landed on the ground then flew over to the dock. Martin’s skiff was still there, and she landed in it. She turned back into a dorian, and looked for the engine ignition. 

“Going somewhere?” 

It took all of Billie’s self-control not to scream out. She looked up; hidden in the shadow of the awning, Anur was leaned on the wall, his pipe smoking in the night air. 

“Away from here” Billie whispered “Before you crazy dorians kill me in my sleep” 

“Would Martin have told ye what he did if he wanted t’kill ye?” 

Billie stopped; Anur walked out of the shadow and to the edge of the dock. 

“Yer going after the girl” 

“Yes” Billie said. 

“D’ye know how t’operate that?” 

Billie hesitated; Anur smiled. 

“What d’ye want from me?” 

“T’help ye” 

“Cause of my father?” she frowned. 

“No” 

Anur jumped into the skiff “Cause it’s the right thing t’do” 

Billie watched Anur turn the skiff on and operate the rudder. The skiff pulled out of the dock and sailed down the river. 

“Where to?” Anur asked. 

“Textile District” Billie said “I have to get someone” 

“Yer friend?” 

“Yes” Billie nodded “He should be waiting at the dock by the Distillery” 

Anur turned the skiff and sped up. 

“Thank you” Billie said. Anur didn’t reply and instead turned the skiff towards the docks. In the distance, they could see Blackwell Distillery rising above the other buildings. 

“There” Billie pointed and Anur followed her direction. Felix emerged into the light of the lamp on the docks. His expression was strained with worry, and before the skiff had made a full stop, he jumped on it and hugged Billie. 

“You are all right” he said in her shoulder. They separated, and Felix looked at Anur who was smirking at him. 

“Who’s—“ 

“Anur, Felix” Billie pointed “He’s taking us into Redhill” 

Felix nodded suspiciously; he turned back to Billie. 

“Marrow told me what happened. I thought you would be with that Presbyter” 

Billie shook her head and dropped back on the skiff. 

“He told me how to get pass the Trackers. But he—“ 

“Billie” Felix leaned over her “Marrow told me he killed that Kingsguard” 

Billie looked at Anur who hadn’t said anything; his eyes seemed to hint at knowing a lot more than he made it seem. 

“I think they are planning a coup” Billie said, not moving her eyes from Anur’s face “They wanted my uncle to help them, so they sent Martin to convince him, as a friend. Maybe even to save him from Gyps, after Martin realised Gyps was going to poison him. But then he got caught” 

Felix turned around, pointing his crossbow to Anur, who didn’t flinch; he just slowly moved his eyes from Billie to Felix. 

“I’ve been at the air of an arrow too many times in my life to think you would shoot it boy” he smirked. Billie gently pressed the crossbow and lowered it. 

“We need to get Yasmin out. That was our mission” 

Felix nodded, still eyeing Anur suspiciously. He shrugged and turned back to the rudder. After a moment, the engine was live again, and they sailed down the river. It was eerily quiet. 

“I don’t like this” Felix gestured to the river “We could’ve walked” 

“Aye” Anur laughed “The river is an unfriendly beast. In the navy we saw things out in the open sea…but no one talks about what ye see in the river” 

“What things?” Billie asked. 

“Lights on the water…faces” he frowned “Sometimes I hear weeping” 

Felix shivered; Billie examined Anur’s face carefully; he turned to see her and smiled. 

“Yer friend is scared of the water” 

“He is a cat” Billie smiled. 

“I’m right here” Felix frowned. 

“And so are we” Anur pointed ahead; an imposing, grey structure towered over the river; Redhill Prison. 

Billie held her breath; the tower looked impenetrable. Anur however, calmly kept going, around the entrance canal and further down the river, around a sand mound surrounded by reeds. Behind it there was a smaller canal, leading into a tunnel. 

“No guards?” 

“One guard” Anur said “But leave him to me” 

The skiff slowed down, just as they passed a dock. There was a single lantern illuminating the area, and a small table and chair on the platform. A heavy, iron door blocked the path inside. A guard sat on the chair snoring. When they stopped in front of him, he just gargled and kept snoring. 

Anur jumped out of the skiff and next to the guard. Before Felix or Billie could protest, he touched the guard’s exposed hand with his finger, and the man’s snoring disappeared. 

“What did you do!?” Billie whispered loudly. 

“Paralysis” Anur replied “When he wakes up his skin will be on fire and he’ll want to vomit” 

“Paralysis?” Felix frowned. Billie jumped on the platform and passed Anur; she found the red brick and pushed it in; the brick disappeared in the wall. The bricks around it became loose, and she pulled them out, one by one, until the hole became quite large. There was a satchel inside. She pulled it out with difficulty and opened it; inside was a prison guard uniform, complete with the helmet. 

“The helmet is lead” Anur said “The trackers can’t sense through it” 

“And I can’t turn wearing it” Billie frowned. Anur smiled 

“You don’t need to turn. You just need to get in” 

“And how do I get out?” she snarled. 

“I can wear it” Felix said “You can turn and enter with me then fly” 

Billie bit her lip; they looked at Anur who ran through the guard’s pockets and pulled out a ring of keys. He handed it to Billie, while Felix put the uniform on. 

Billie unlocked the door. 

“Ready?” he asked, putting the helmet on. Billie nodded and turned into the magpie. 

“I’ll be here” Anur said “Hopefully next time I see you, there’ll be three of you” 

Felix nodded and walked inside. The narrow hallway ran into another, heavier door. When he opened it, they entered a large, main hall. Across from them was a guard office with large windows. A single guard without a helmet was fussing with some papers. To the right was a large metal gate that seemed to lead into a courtyard. Next to the office was another iron gate, leading into the main cell block, and to the right was the main entrance to the prison. There were no guards around, except for a Tracker, standing right in front of the gate to the main cell block. Felix opened the door enough for Billie to dart out and she landed on the lantern. 

The Tracker didn’t seem to notice her; when Felix walked to the courtyard gate, it made no attempt to follow him. 

Billie flew after Felix and went over the gate, as Felix opened it and stepped into the courtyard. There were two more Trackers there, one standing in front of the interrogation room, and one blocking the stairs to the second block. He stopped in front of that one. 

“I was sent to get a file from the control room” he said. The Tracker looked up, its ugly gas mask pointing up at Felix. It started breathing, a loud sucking noise that made Billie feel like she was losing all the air from her lungs. She looked up and saw an open window on the second level; without thinking about it she flew inside, almost crashing into a guard. He was leaning over a desk, looking at something. 

Billie looked around and grabbed the first heavy object she could find (a metal folder holder) and bonked the guard on the head. He crumpled to the ground. 

“Brutal” Felix said from the door. He closed it and took his helmet off, pale as a ghost. 

“I thought for sure he wouldn’t let me up” he nodded. They looked at the book the guard had been looking at; a thick, leather-bound ledger of all the inmates and cells. 

“What did Mustel say?” Felix asked. 

“3547” Billie said “Then 77 and the cell number?” 

“Let’s find it then” Felix flipped the pages. 

“Solitary block C. Yasmin Crona” he pointed at a badly scribbled name in red ink “Her cell number is 89” 

“It’s at the end of the block” Billie said, examining a map affixed to the wall “I’d have to pass all the inmates” 

“I can stay here” Felix nodded. Make sure no one is coming” 

“We should open the cell first” Billie pointed at the large control panel to the side. There was a dial with many levers, each inscribed with different letters and numbers. There was a note stuck on the top of the board that read “Remember to turn lever down to lock door”. 

Felix started pulling the levers with difficulty, until they were showing “35477789” in the dials above them. Billie then pulled the last lever. Nothing happened. 

“You think it worked?” 

“It must have” Felix said, a little more confidently than he felt “You should go now” 

Billie nodded, and they both looked at the unconscious guard between them. 

“Yeah, it’s a good idea” 

***

Moments later, Billie flew out of the tower and back into the foyer. Solitary bock C was at the very end of the prison, three stories of cell rows, all bolted shut with a heavy iron door. Billie tried to stay above the edge of the window and landed at the very end of the hallway. The door in front of her was still closed. 

Carefully, she turned back into a dorian and peaked through the bars of the window. There was a pillory in the middle of the room, and someone with their back turned to the door, was chained to it. Billie took a deep breath before pushing the door; it flew open and she was in the cell. 

Suddenly Billie felt weak; Yasmin was fastened to the pillory, pale and exhausted. Her face looked gaunt, and she had lost a lot of weight. “Yasmin” Billie whispered, and crept up next to her. There was a latch on the wall next to the harness. 

“I’m not telling you shit” she snapped, and opened her eyes. She glared at Billie in surprise. 

“I know you” she said “You were the guard that tried to warn us” 

“Yes” Billie nodded and grabbed the latch “I’m here to get you out” 

She pulled the latch and the harness snapped open; Yasmin dropped to the floor. Out of the harness she was freakishly skinny. 

“We don’t have much—“ 

Yasmin snapped and grabbed her throat. Her talons dug into Billie’s neck and she could feel her windpipe closing. 

“Where were you six months ago?” Yasmin growled. Billie tugged on her hand, but Yasmin’s anger was giving him almost superhuman strength. 

“I was looking for the man who framed you” she managed to say “His name is Alister. I can help you find him” 

Yasmin released Billie’s throat, and Billie collapsed over herself. She touched blood that was dripping from where Yasmin had scratched her. 

“I work for Steller” she said “We’re getting you out of here” 

“Steller?” Yasmin laughed “That fool. I knew he wouldn’t betray my father” 

“We need to move” Billie nodded and looked through the bars; the guards were still playing dice in the corner. 

“Anur’s waiting for us at the canal, but there are Trackers. If we turn, we can just fly—“ 

Billie turned around; Yasmin was doubled over, her hands around her waist. 

“I don’t feel so…well” 

“Yasmin!” Billie tried to catch her, but Yasmin dropped on the floor. She was out cold. 

“Damn it” Billie spat out; she looked out the bars again. There was no way she could carry Yasmin past them and the watch tower without being seen. 

She weighed her options for a moment; Felix was still in the guard tower, and Anur outside. If she could somehow carry Yasmin to them without the guards noticing… 

There was no time to hesitate; she grabbed Yasmin and pulled her over her shoulders. She was surprisingly heavy, despite her size. She dragged Yasmin down the corridor, trying to stay as quiet as possible, and walk under the shadow of the bridge above her. She made it to the end of Cell Block C, and dropped Yasmin on the ground. She peeked through the bars; there was no one in the courtyard, not even the Trackers she had seen before. Now was the chance. 

She opened the door, and dragged Yasmin into the courtyard. She barely made a few steps, when she heard a familiar noise; clanging of metal and deep breathing. 

Three trackers stood behind the door, almost as if they were waiting for her. One started sniffing loudly, like he was trying to suck out all the air out of Billie’s lungs. She started running towards the control tower; the Trackers followed her, moving almost like they weren’t even touching the ground. 

Then one of them screamed. 

The scream was loud, piercing and echoed from the walls. Billie had never heard anything like it, it made her head splinter and her ears hurt. Halfway to the tower, she changed direction and started running towards the other end, they way they had come, but this was harder while carrying someone’s entire weight and she tripped. 

A second Tracker joined the scream, and she turned around; lights went red, and soon the courtyard was going to be full of guards. 

Suddenly, Felix appeared, swinging with his sword and knocking on of the Trackers out. He pushed the second and it clashed in its friend, toppling over. 

“C’mon!” he yelled at Billie and grabbed Yasmin’s other arm. They ran down the courtyard, when guards appeared at the door from the main cell block. They pushed it, but it wouldn’t budge. 

“You bolted it?” 

Felix laughed; a long metal rod was stopping the door from opening, to the anger of the guards. They ran back through the courtyard gate and into the main hall; the guard ran towards them, angry and confused. Felix jumped on him turning into a cat and furiously scratched his face; the man dropped on his knees in pain and 

Billie ran past him. Felix opened the side door and closed it behind him; judging by the noise, the guards had managed to break the door open. 

The hallway was tight, and they had to maneuver to fit and drag Yasmin through; when they appeared in the canna; Anur was anxiously waiting for them on the skiff. 

“C’mon!” he yelled, as the duo carried Yasmin inside the skiff. They jumped on, and Anur sped down the canal; up front the gate had started closing. 

“We’re not gonna make it!” Felix shouted, but Anur ignored him; he pushed the skiff harder, and Billie and Felix covered their heads just as the skiff flew under the spikes of the gate, just slightly above them. 

The skiff exploded onto the river; they heard an alarm sound and Anur made a wide u-turn which almost cxatapulted Billie of the skiff and in the river. Felix held her as the boat turned, and went down the river towards the Riverfront. Anur didn’t speak; his face was hard with concentration as he drove the skiff. Felix looked back; there were no boats following them yet. They had made it. 

“That was so close” he let himself sigh only after they had already entered the Riverfront; Billie was still breathing hard, doubled over. 

“We did!” Anur shouted “And ye got her out” 

“You sound impressed” Felix said, though he himself sounded ecstatic. Anur sped up, splashing behind him. The sun had climbed up in the sky; if Billie were back at the barracks, she would just be getting up. 

“We should take her to Blackwell” Felix said, but Billie shook her head. 

“Steller is an old friend of Crona” she said “She needs to be with someone she trusts while she heals” 

Felix didn’t seem too happy, but also wasn’t surprised. 

“I think that’s a mistake” 

Billie frowned. 

“Martin helped us for a reason. I bet it was some kind of stupid test. And we passed” 

“I wouldn’t bet on it kid” Anur said over the noise “Steller is very selective about who he trusts. And ye… let’s just say yer not high on that list”


	8. The Assassin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **Billie and Felix return to the Bulldog Pub with Yasmin, hoping to win over Steller's trust. However, things take a turn when Billie receives a letter informing her of Alistair's new target; and Portia might be in his way.**  
> 

# Chapter 7:

## The Assassin

“Pama!” Hilde exclaimed and threw her cigarette away; she and Monax were smoking on the porch, when Anur’s boat stopped at the dock. She ran to them, followed by a bewildered Monax. Billie jumped out of the boat, helping Felix carry Yasmin to shore. 

“It’s the Grand General’s daughter” she said with a mixture of terror and awe “You got her out?” 

“What’s the commotion?” Martin walked out of the door. When he saw them, he immediately ran to them, and without a word he grabbed Yasmin from Billie and carried her inside. He was careful to support her head, Billie noticed grimly; maybe there was some kindness left in the man. 

They all followed him inside the pub, where Platia almost dropped an entire tray of glasses when she saw them. 

“Platia” Martin said “Call Steller. Tell him Yasmin is here. I’ll take her upstairs” 

“I’ll go with you” Billie snapped, but Martin didn’t protest. She threw a glance at Anur; he ran his fingers through his hair and walked to the booths; Felix followed him. 

“Did you find the clothes?” Martin asked as soon as they were out of earshot. 

“Yes” Billie frowned “They helped with the Trackers” 

“Good” he said, “Could you please?” 

Billie opened the door for him and he carried Yasmin into a small room. There was a bed, a nightstand and a heavy wooden closet in it, and Martin laid her gently on the bed. 

“She needs food and water” Billie said. 

“I’ll tell Platia to send a tray up, for when she wakes up. Was she out when you found her?” 

“No…”Billie sighed “She collapsed when I released her from the pillory. I told her Steller sent me, but I don’t know if she’ll remember that” 

Martin nodded, and examined Billie’s face. Under his gaze, she suddenly realised how tired she felt. 

“We should go back downstairs” he said, looking away “Steller will want to talk with you” 

Billie nodded. Martin opened the door and stopped abruptly; Billie almost collided with him. 

“I need to tell you” he said quickly “Steller had no idea I told you about the uniform. He will be-- well not pleased you’re back” 

“We got her out” Billie said tiredly. Martin bit his lip. 

“I don’t think you’ll like what his plan is… regardless of how he reacts to Yasmin being free” 

Billie had no idea how to respond; she just let Martin escort her out of the room, his hand on her back. They walked down the stairs and into the pub, as Steller had joined the small group there. Anur, Felix and Monax had taken up one of the booths. 

“Miss Pica” Steller said “You don’t give up easy, do you?” 

“She was about to be executed” Billie snapped. Steller’s lips tightened in a single line. “All of you, in my study, now. Monax, mend the bar. A courier will be coming soon. You too Mr. Black” 

“You know my name?” Felix got up. Steller threw him an annoyed look. 

“I know a lot more than any of you think” 

His tone was even, but Billie could tell the words were targeted at Martin; he made a slight face before turning to Platia. 

“Oh and Platia” Billie hurried before he could say anything “Tea and some food for Yasmin” 

Platia nodded immediately. Billie caught Martin smirking from the corner of her eye. 

They followed Steller down the bar, to an office at the very end. Anur ushered Billie and Felix inside, before closing the door. Martin took his position in the corner, between two tall bookshelves full of folders and boxes. 

Billie looked around the room; what seemed to have once been an office, was now turned into a command center. The walls behind Steller’s desk were covered in newspaper clips; a large, cork board had many pinned portraits, letters and a map of the Capitol. Billie recognized one of the faces immediately: Gyps Fulva, looking down on Steller’s desk. 

A lantern in the corner of the desk lit up the room, giving it an orange glow, and incense made it smell like a sea breeze. Steller stopped behind his desk and leaned over it, looking at the group. 

“How did you get her out?” 

Billie and Felix glanced at each-other before looking at Anur. 

“We had help” she said. Steller glared at the sailor, and then at the Presbyter. 

“Yes I imagine you did” 

“It was the right thing to do” Anur said “sir” he added, avoiding Steller’s look. Martin said nothing. 

“Well it seems I made a bad call. Put my trust in dorians who were not deserving of it” 

“Topias” Martin stepped forward “She was going to die. I had to--” 

“Don’t you dare Martin” Steller snapped, pointing his finger at him “Stephan Crona was one of my closest friends. Do you really think I would let his only daughter take the fall for his own murder?” 

“You didn’t seem to care much yesterday!” Billie snapped. Steller’s expression hardened, and Billie immediately regretted it. 

“I don’t have to justify my actions to you, child” he said quietly, which was almost worse than him yelling “But Martin, to appease your fickle soul, I had already paid of the executioner. He was to free Crona and lead he to a skiff waiting outside the canal, just before her execution. Quietly” 

Martin seemed both embarrassed, and not ready to give up. 

“You never mentioned this” 

“I wanted you to focus on your mission. Themera can confirm everything I’m saying. It was to be quiet and implicate no one; now because of your thoughtlessness, the entire Officer Corp will be searching for these three idiots” 

“No one saw our faces” Felix sighed “All the guards saw was the skiff” 

“What about the Trackers Mr. Black? Do you think they haven’t picked up your scent?” 

Felix and Billie looked at each other; suddenly the weight of what she had stumbled into seemed immense. 

“We got her out!” Felix said angrily “Does it matter how we did it?” 

“I wouldn’t expect a Hound like you to understand nuance” Steller pulled back on his desk. Billie immediately saw Felix’ face change, but Martin interfered before she could. 

“Trust goes both ways Topias. You sent me away on a suicide mission” 

“You knew what were getting into months ago Martin. This isn’t news” 

“And what exactly are you doing?” Billie asked. 

“And before you try lying” Felix said “We know you were there to kill Gyps.” 

Neither Martin nor Steller responded. 

“That’s it, isn’t it?” Billie asked suddenly “You are planning a coup. And you need Yasmin so she can testify...on your behalf.” 

The room was quiet; Martin and Anur avoided looking at her, but Steller didn’t seem phased at all. 

“You can’t do that without proof that Alistair killed Crona” Billie continued “So that must mean...you know how to find him” 

“Finding him isn’t hard” Martin sighed “Not with the right price” 

“No, what we need” Steller said finally “Is proof that Alastair was hired by Gyps and Monacha to take out key figures and put them in power” 

Billie and Felix shared horrified glances. 

“Monacha? As in the Grand General?” 

“Makes sense doesn't it?” Martin asked darkly “There was no way she could have gotten that position otherwise. Not with Sulcat as High Presbyter, or Crona still in power, no matter how much dorians were disappointed with his losses in the north. But with her best friend and supporter Gyps Fulva...well that’s a different story” 

Billie felt her head spin; she had to sit down. Felix leaned on the chair in front of him. 

“Well you have a plan right? A plan to prove all of this?” 

Martin sighed and looked at Steller. 

“We had a plan. I wasn’t there to kill Gyps. I was there to get in his office and steal his journals. Gyps is a paranoid man, he keeps proofs of everything, including this, however I didn’t know” he emphasized the words “that Gyps knew about me. I got caught and well...you know the rest” 

“Yes” Steller said bitterly “It almost destroyed everything we worked for” he paused looking at the room “thanks to Lady Themera we might have another lead” 

Someone knocked on the door; a moment later Monax appeared, carrying an envelope. 

“I have a letter for you sir” he said “Important” 

He handed it to Steller, then turned to Anur. 

“There is a lady here for you” 

“Me?” Anur looked confused “Who?” 

Monax shrugged. Anur looked around the room. 

“S’cuse me then” 

He followed Monax out, leaving Felix and Billie alone with Martin and Steller. 

“Well?” Martin asked, crossing his arms. 

“Well what?” 

“What’s the lead?” 

Steller laughed, putting the note in his chest pocket. 

“You and I have a lot to discuss Martin. As for the two of you” he looked at Billie “I appreciate your help in getting Yasmin. She will be well cared for” 

“What?” Billie exclaimed “You can’t be serious!” 

“I am not saying another word” Steller frowned “While I have some respect for you and your uncle Miss Pica, there is no way I would divulge anything to a Hound and a dishonorably discharged traitor” 

“What?” both yelled at the same time. Even Martin looked offended. 

“Everything you say will be transferred to Blackwell or that reporter” Steller added “And I’d rather not let charlatans and criminals know what we’re doing” 

Felix stared blankly at Steller, seemingly at a loss of words. 

“You are despicable” Billie spat out angrily “both of you. C’mon” 

“You can stay Miss Pica” Steller called after her “Unless you’d rather follow your friend and join the Hounds” 

Billie opened the Felix opened and stormed out. Felix followed her. 

“Billie!” he called after her, ignoring Hilge and Platia’s confused looks. 

“Billie, wait!” 

He caught up with her in the yard. Billie was livid. 

“I can’t--I don’t know-!” 

“It’s alright Billie” he sighed, looking crushed “It was a mistake coming here” 

“You’re right” Billie nodded “I was a fool to think they’d be any different. I’m sorry” 

Felix nodded, looking away. The sound of seagulls flying down the river was refreshing. 

“We should go” Billie said “C’mo--” 

“You should stay” 

“What?” she wasn’t sure she heard him right. 

“You should stay. Keep an eye on Yasmin. And find Alistair” 

“No!” Billie yelled “There are other ways to get to Alistair. I’m not leaving you alone!” 

“I’m not alone” Felix said “I have the Hounds” 

“The Hounds?” Billie exclaimed “How helpful will they be when you tell them what happened? When you tell them about the Trackers?” 

“Well” Felix said slowly “Probably very” 

Billie looked at him confused; he rolled his sleeve up, uncovering a tattoo of sharp, canine teeth on his forearm. 

“You...you joined them?” Billie blurted out “When?” 

“Right after Jole’s funeral” he said darkly “I promised him I’d finish his job. Clean up the Riverfront from the Tetrapods” 

“What?” Billie asked “Jole wouldn’t have wanted that Felix! You were a guard!” 

“And what did I get for it?” he asked “The Hounds are my family now. And they have my back” 

Billie was out of words. She just stared at Felix, who looked sad, but determined. 

“Billie” he said taking her hands “Dorians see us differently. I can’t help here. But you can. This is the best way to get Alistair, and you know it” 

She looked away. 

“I’m sorry” she said finally. Felix pulled her in and hugged her tightly. When they parted he pulled something out of his chest pocket. 

“Blackwell gave me this before I left, I was going to give it to you earlier, but...well we were both preoccupied” 

He handed her a small, sealed scroll. 

“Who’s it from?” she asked. Felix shrugged. 

“He didn’t say. But it’s for you, and it’s important” 

Billie opened the note. 

_Billie,_

_I know you must hate me, but I have an impossible favour to ask. Portia is in danger. Alistair has a new target, and she might be in the way. Please, come to the Oasis, tonight by eight. I’m worried, and you are the only person I can trust to help._

_Alayah_

Billie looked up at Felix. 

“It’s from Alayah” she whispered. Felix’s eyebrows shot up. 

“The prostitute? What does it say?” 

“Alistair has a new target. In the Oasis” 

“What’re ye two doing out here?” 

They both jumped up, and Billie stuffed the note in her pocket. Anur joined them, looking frazzled. 

“We--he was leaving” Billie blurted out. Anur scowled. 

“Why?” 

“Steller doesn’t trust me” 

Anur rolled his eyes. 

“He’s a paranoid old sailor. Can’t help it” 

“Aren’t you an old sailor too?” Billie asked. Anur laughed. 

“Girlie, if ye knew the things the Admiral saw...ye wouldn’t look at him like that” 

“Billie” Martin appeared, breathing heavily. Felix released an involuntary, quiet growl. 

“What happened? Where are you going?” 

“She’s not going anywhere” he said “not until she knows Yasmin is alive and well, and telling her story to the papers” 

Martin looked at Felix, his expression impenetrable. 

“Billie?” 

“I’m staying” she said after a moment of hesitation “If you have a way to find Alistair I want to know about it” 

Martin nodded. They stood in awkward silence for a few moments. 

“Well, I’m going” Felix said and hugged Billie again “I’ll give Marrow your love, and check up on Jay” 

Billie nodded; Felix turned in his cat form and disappeared out of the gate. It seemed like forever, before Martin finally coughed. 

“Shall we?” he asked. Billie nodded absentmindedly and followed him back inside. Anur stopped outside to smoke. At the bar, Platia, Monax and Hilde had gathered around the radio. 

“CITIZENS OF THE CAPITOL: THE MURDERER YASMIN CRONA HAS ESCAPED REDHILL PRISON! IF ANYONE HAS ANY INFORMATION, COME FORTH IMMEDIATELY! SHE IS ARMED AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!” 

Monax looked up 

“You caused a real stir” 

“Yeah, you’re a celebrity” Hilde handed her a rolled up paper. Billie took it and opened it; the front page had a large photograph of the riots under a title that read: 

  
__

### VIOLENCE ERUPTS AT WORKERS’ PROTEST

__

####  _Officers and Guards Clash with Strikers in Massive Protest in Garten Square_

By Piper Cole 

_**The largest organized protest in the Capitol’s history ended in violence, as workers clashed with Officers and Guards in front of the High Presbyter’s Residence. While the cause of the violence is still unknown, the conflict resulted with at least 40 injured, and more than 200 arrests. Abbey Meyer, the leader of the Workers Party stated that the cruelty at display by the Officers has only strengthened his and his fellow’s efforts to keep fighting.** _ **  
**  


“I’m a celebrity?” Billie asked “There’s nothing on Gyps or Yasmin” 

Martin and Monax exchanged glances, before Martin reached and took the paper out of Billie’s hands. 

“Take a look at page 2” he said opening the pages. 

A large, bold title stretched over both pages, right over portraits of both of their portraits. 

###  _HIGH PRESBYTER GYPS FULVA’S BRUSH WITH DEATH_

####  _Attackers lead by former Presbyter Rip Martin made an attempt on the High Presbyter’s life amid the commotion of last night’s protests._

Billie felt her heart sink in her chest; whatever small glimmer of hope she had that she might keep her job was ruined; her own face stared at her from the paper pages, with the red letters of the word WANTED painted over her chest. 

“Gyps works fast when he wants to” Martin sighed “At least the article doesn’t mention your uncle or friends by name, just as other co-conspirators” 

“As for Yasmin, well they haven’t had time to print it yet, but it’s all over the radio” Hilde said. Martin put the paper back on the counter. 

“C’mon” Martin said “Steller is waiting” 

***

In Steller’s office, the Admiral was drinking tea and looking out of the small window. He turned around to face them, looking marginally less stern than before. 

“Your friend is young and reckless” he said before Billie could say anything “And so are you. But one day you’ll both understand why trust is a hard currency to earn” 

Billie didn’t say anything. Steller sat down, pulling the note out of his pocket. 

“Themera was in Parliament today. Gyps was… understandably shaken up. And very angry. A riot under his nose, an assassination attempt, an escaped convict… all in one night. Needless to say, Parliament wasn’t pleased” 

“They will tear eachother apart if we just wait long enough” Martin muttered. 

“Unfortunately we don’t have that luxury. Themera suspects that Monacha might have already decided to cut her losses and… get rid of evidence” 

Billie looked up; a new target. In the Oasis. 

“So there’s a new target?” Martin asked. Steller nodded. 

“Gyps’ accountant and confidant. Naultinus” 

“That brat?” Martin said with disgust “No wonder he and Gyps are buddies, they’re about the most dishonest men in the Capitol” 

“Who is Naultinus?” Billie asked. She vaguely remembered the name. 

“He’s the son of Cole Varieg, the mine owner” Martin explained “He exploited the mines in the east of Iculta and made a fortune for himself, but from what I hear, the silver line has dried up” 

Steller nodded. 

“Naultinus is in serious debt. An angle that Themera already exploited, giving us what we have now. Namely, he is terrified of Gyps, uninterested in betraying him, and --” he got up and pinned something to the board; a flier advertising the Oasis Bathhouse. 

“--this is where he will be tonight. Alone” 

Billie shifted uncomfortably in her chair. 

“Are you...are you implying we kill him?” 

“Only as a last resort. What we are really after, is his black book. He keeps it on him at all times, even when he sleeps. It has all the transactions and all the agreements he and Gyps have ever made. All we want is in there” 

Martin frowned. 

“How are we supposed to get it?” 

Steller sat back down.

“Themera found who he is visiting every Thursday. It’s a prostitute named Portia. Young, naive...perfect” 

“Perfect for what?” Billie frowned “Perfect to frame?” 

“We need that ledger” Steller said “As soon as the Officers realise she doesn’t have it, they’ll let her go” 

“Have you met Turnbull?” Billie exclaimed “No!” 

“It’s not up to you Miss Pica” Steller frowned “You won’t even be near the Oasis. Martin and Anur can handle this one on their own” 

Billie wanted to fight, but something stopped her. She looked at Martin and Steller, and said nothing. Steller looked surprised that she had given up so easily. 

“I think” Martin said carefully “that we should let Billie get some rest. She has been through a lot” 

Steller nodded. Billie got up from the chair and Martin followed her out. 

“I’ll walk you upstairs” he muttered, and she nodded without protest. As soon as they closed the door to her small room, he turned around. 

“Listen. I don’t know what you have in mind, but that book is important. And this might be our only chance of getting it” 

“I don’t care about the book” Billie shook her head “And I really would like some sleep” 

Martin hesitated for a few moments. 

“Alright. I’ll let you rest. Plagia should be up soon with some fresh sheets” 

Billie nodded and watched Martin go out of the room. As soon as the door was shut, she jumped on the mattress and looked out of the window. Anur was on the porch, still smoking. 

“Ah...Miss Pica?” a knock on the door. 

“Come in!” Billie yelled “And please don’t call me that” 

Platia walked in with a small pile of sheets. Before she could even drop them on the mattress, Billie grabbed her hand and pulled her to the window. 

“What--” 

“Platia, I need your help” Billie looked at her intently “Please?” 

“I--yes?” 

“I need you to go downstairs and tell Anur to wait for me at the skiff at sundown. And I need you to come knock on my door then” 

“Why can’t Mr. Martin--” 

“No, no” Billie shook her head, still holding Platia’s hand “No one else must know. Only you and Anur” 

“But--but the Admiral--” 

“Platia, please” Billie pleaded “My friend is in grave danger. If I can’t get to her, no one will be able to help her” 

“I’m sure Mr. Martin can help” Platia said, clearly scared. 

“He’s too close to Steller. He doesn’t care about anyone, just his mission. Please” 

Platia bit her lip. 

“Alright” 

“Thank you” Billie said and hugged her “I owe you, big time. Remember, sundown. Not a moment later” 

***

Billie tried to sleep, but all she could do was toss and turn, running through her plan, through all the options. She finally dozed off for what felt like a second, before Platia was back, gently shaking her awake.  


“It’s sundown, Billie. You need to go”  


Billie jumped up, her eyes bloodshot.  


“Is Anur there?”  


“He’s on the skiff waiting” Platia said “Mr. Martin is getting ready to go somewhere too”  


Billie nodded and opened the window. She waved at Platia and darted out, just like the morning.  


She found Anur at the skiff, smoking his pipe.  


“Ready to go?” he asked. Billie nodded.  


“I’ll need your help to get inside”  


“My help?” Anur asked.  


“I need someone to distract Pava while I find Naultinus. And the book”  


Anur laughed.  


“Girlie, do I look like I have money to spend on a brother?”  


“That’s where this comes in handy” Billie smiled and pulled up Felix’ jacket and shirt. 

***

  


Billie had never been to the front of the Oasis Bathhouse, and she had to admit, it looked pretty impressive. Two stone pillars held the main balcony, and many lights illuminated the entrance. The door was made of heavy oak and stained glass windows.  


Anur walked up the stairs, uncomfortably adjusting his collar. Felix’s uniform barely fit him, and he couldn’t lift his arms if he wanted the jacket to remain in one piece. Billie was hidden in his empty satchel.  


“Ready?” he asked. Without waiting for a response, he pushed the door open and walked inside the lobby. Like before, the lobby was spacious and well lit by the the chandelier and many lamps hanging from the walls, though the group of dorians was significantly smaller than the last time.  


Anur walked up to the front desk; Madame Pava was there, sweet talking an Officer; her eyes were darting around the room, looking for any sign of trouble.  


“Excuse me Madame” he said leaning over the counter, ignoring the Officer “But I was told I need to see you if I want an appointment with Martha”  


“Martha?” Pava sounded scandalised “But--she’s the cook”  


“Well ye know” he said leaning closer to Pava’s face “I’m an old man, and all I really want is someone t’talk to, ye know? And a little--”  


“That’s quite enough sir” Pava pulled back “I don’t need to know that much”  


“Course, course” Anur laughed; Pava pulled the book closer to her, and Anur leaned in again.  


“Martha doesn’t take in any clients” Pava said “But if you...really want to talk to her, I’ll send one of the girls to fetch her. But--” she glared at him threateningly “If she doesn’t know you, ye pay full price”  


Anur nodded; Billie watched him as he thanked Pava profusely and then made his way to one of the leather chair. When he sat down, he made sure to put the satchel out of sight of the front desk, before whispering:  


“Steam room”  


Billie flew up and perched on the chandelier. She had no idea where the steam room was. Before she could consider her options, she saw a shadow pass down a hallway.  


She darted after it; the shadow stopped in front of a double door that had a small golden sign that read: STEAM ROOM. The shadow returned to its physical form, and before it could open the handle, Billie darted and grabbed its neck in a choke hold.  


The assassin was surprised, but Billie held even tighter; they walked back into a wall, but they had no strength to really hit the wall hard enough. After a few moments, the assassin fell on their knees, and Billie released them. They started coughing and she hit them on the head hard with the door.  


Billie looked around, breathing heavily; there was no one around. She opened the door carefully and dragged the body inside.  


There was a large, green paravan decorated with flying storks that separated the steam room from the small preparatory area full of towels, oils and a long bench. Even there, the heat was near unbearable.  


“Billie?”  


Portia gasped, covering her mouth with her hands in terror. Billie hushed her, praying the girl won’t scream; Portia’s eyes darted from the assassin’s body to Billie’s face.  


“What are you doing here?” she whispered “I’m working”  


Billie dragged the assassin under the bench. She grabbed Portia’s hands and dragged her in the corner.  


“You are in a lot of danger” Billie whispered back “The assassins are after your client”  


Portia looked pale enough to faint.  


“I need to get you out of here and get something. Where is his book?”  


“His book?” Portia asked “What book?”  


“The black book he always carries” Billie said.  


Portia rubbed her temple.  


“I don’t know! I’ve never seen it”  


Billie put her hands on her waist anxiously. She looked at Portia.  


“I need your clothes”  


“What?”  


“I need to find out where the book is” Billie said “If it’s steamy enough, he won’t know it’s not you”  


Portia hesitated.  


“Stay here”  


She waked over to the shelf of oils and pulled out a box. She took out a silky, teal negligee.  


“He likes to talk a lot” she said as Billie started changing “And he likes massages”  


Billie nodded; she grabbed the negligee and put it on; it felt like she was wearing nothing.  


“I’ll go in and get the book. Hide it in this” she gave Portia her coat “Give it to Anur and tell him to get out of here”  


“Anur?”  


“You’ll know him” Billie whispered “Old sailor, probably talking to Martha”  


“Billie” Portia grabbed her hand before she could go “Thank you. For coming back”  


Billie smiled and kissed Portia on her cheek.  


She looked through the holes in the door; she could barely make out a pool and a man lying on his stomach next to it. With a deep breath, she walked into the steam room, careful to not disturb Naultinus.  


“You’re back” he said. Billie sat down next to him looking around the room; in the far corner she saw a pile of neatly folded clothes.  


“My back is killing me” Naultinus said “I need a massage”  


Billie gulped; there was an oil bottle next to her, that she took. She tried to remember what Aura had taught her; a little bit of oil, focus on the problem spots.  


“Ah” he sighed when she touched his shoulders “Your hands are cold”  


Billie held her breath; Naultinus kept making noises, but didn’t say anything for a while.  


“I got another letter” he finally said, after she could feel her hands growing tired “I might lose the house soon. All I’ll have is the place on High Street. Wonder how long that will last. Not that it matters”  


Billie leaned in curiously.  


“You know why. I feel it even stronger now. I cleaned up the house, and guess what I found? My father’s pistols. Antiques. One of the first ever made. They can still kill a man. What a fitting way to go”  


Billie pulled her hands away in shock. Naultinus seemed to sense that.  


“Don’t act so surprised Portia. I told you; I have enough coin for maybe a cycle, two? After that...well there’s no way I’m spending the rest of my days in debtors’ jail”  


Billie swallowed hard. Naultinus shifted his head.  


“I’m getting in the water. Bring a towel?”  


Billie got up, before he did and ran to the clothes. Naultinus ignored her and jumped in the pool. She went through his coat; with a sigh of relief she found what she was after; the book. She opened it; every page was full of rows and rows of numbers. Billie had no idea what any of them meant, but she got up and ran the other way.  


She opened the door; Portia was still there shaking. Billie threw her the book and closed the door before she could say anything.  


“Go” she mouthed and Portia nodded, and ran out. Billie turned around.  


“Portia?”  


“Coming” Billie said.  


“Portia? Why are your hands so cold today?”  


She stopped abruptly; the air suddenly grew icy cold. She heard splashes.  


“What? No--!”  


Awful gurgling filled the air; Billie was paralyzed. The steam cleared and she saw Naultinus, blood dripping down his naked chest from the open wound on his neck. His eyes were open and unfocused; he stood for a moment before collapsing on the marble tiles.  


Behind him, Alistair looked at Billie, his piercing blue eyes shining in the steam like searchlights. Billie screamed and turned around; she opened the door and collided with someone. Before she could tell what or who it was, something sharp pinged her neck and the whole room spun around then went black.


	9. The Distillery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **Billie finds what she was looking for; but it might just kill her.**  
> 

# Chapter 8:

## The Distillery 

Billie opened her eyes; the room was out of focus, and her head hurt. Slowly, she forced her eyes to recognize the corner of a wall and ceiling. An oil lamp dangled from the ceiling, covered with a purple, silk scarf. 

“Look who’s joined the living” said a voice somewhere on her right. 

Billie forced herself up; she was lying on the sofa, one of her hands shackled to the armrest. She recognized the shackle as the type Officers used to stop criminals from transforming into their true forms. She was still wearing Portia’s negligee, but someone had put a long, blue robe on top of it. 

Suddenly she shuddered back into the sofa; Alistair walked out in front of her, wearing a dark blue shirt with rolled up sleeves. His eyes sparkled with intelligence and interest. 

“Welcome back Miss Pica” he smiled “I hope your sleep wasn’t too uncomfortable” 

“Where...where am I?” Billie asked, her headache, suddenly stronger. 

“The Old Town Distillery” 

“Why did you bring me here?” Billie asked. 

“Excellent question” a female voice rang from behind Alistair, and soon a woman joined them. Billie recognized her eyes immediately. Without a scarf hiding her face, her features were sharp and skin copper. Her black hair was braided in two tight braids, and white, feather-like tattoos decorated her eyes. 

“You!” Billie said and tried to get up, but her arm was still shackled to the sofa “You tried to kill me” 

“I dropped you on a topiary” the woman scoffed “If I wanted you to be dead, I would’ve just” she pulled a dagger out of her belt “slit your throat” 

“Enough” Alistair said, though he seemed mildly amused “Truda, could you see the letters? I would like to have a conversation with our guest” 

Truda put the knife away, still staring Billie down. She closed the door after her, her footprints inaudible on the dust covered carpet. 

Billie looked around her; the room was part of an attic, with lots of furniture covered in grimy, grey sheets. The only thing that wasn’t covered in dust was a liquor cabinet in the corner, standing out against a bookshelf whose content looked like it hadn’t been touched in cycles. 

“How long have I been out?” Billie asked; the window outside seemed to suggest it was night. 

“About a day” Alistair said “Long enough for the papers to discover Naultinus’ body” 

Billie’s stomach turned as she looked at Alistair; his expression was mild, but Billie could tell he enjoyed the terror on her face. He pulled up an overturned chair, and placed it next to the sofa. Billie pulled back as far as the sofa would let her, and yet somehow he was still too close when he sat down, and pulled something out of his shirt. 

“Do you know what this is?” he dangled a piece of bone, inscribed with symbols and wrapped around with a string. 

Billie shook her head. 

“It’s an amalet. It’s made out of Inseida bones, enchanted with powerful dark magic. The string is a strand of witches’ hair” 

Billie examined it carefully; the symbols seemed oddly threatening, but also familiar. She remembered seeing them recently...on Blackwell’s forearms. The memory made her think of Felix, and her heart sank. If she were to die here, no one would know, not even Felix. 

To distract herself, she looked back at Alistair. 

“Black magic” she said finally. Alistair laughed. 

“Do you know how I got it?” 

Billie shook her head, not sure if she was ready for the answer. 

“I was…maybe 10. I was already living on the streets, and had more than a brush with dorians who…let’s say dealt with deep, dark magic. That’s when I found a man” 

He stopped for effect, wrapping the amalet tightly in his hand. 

“He lay in the gutter, dying. He looked….terrifying and wonderful at the same time. His eyes were the night sky. He told me someone betrayed him. I tried to help, so I pulled him into a doorway, before he stopped me. 

He asked: “What is your name boy?” 

Billie’s eyes darted from the amalet in his hand to his face. 

“Alistair, I said. 

“And history will remember it, he said, and gave me this. I told him to wait there so I could get help, but when I returned with some friend…he was gone. Blood and all” 

“He disappeared” Billie sounded skeptical “A man with stars in his eyes…” 

She frowned when she realized what he had said. 

“You met the Raven King” 

Alistair nodded. 

“I didn’t tell my friends about the amalet. I put it under my pillow for safe keeping. It gave me terrible nightmares. I was ready to throw it away the next day. I stood at the riverbank, and when I chucked it in, I was suddenly on the other side. 

This thing” he lifted it up again, looking at it intently “It made me …move so much faster than normal. All I had to do was focus on a spot somewhere in the distance and…I was there” 

“So you used to it to become…an assassin” 

Alistair laughed. 

“I didn’t use it to become a killer. I was already one, by the time I could shave. I used it, to help other like me prosper. I used it, to make all of this that surrounds you” 

Billie glanced at the room and snorted. 

“Impressive” 

“For those of us that started with nothing, it’s enough” he said and placed the amalet around his neck. 

“What do you want from me?” 

“Nothing” Allister opened the cabinet, and pulled out firewhiskey “You’ve given me more than enough already” 

He poured two glasses and handed one to Billie. She eyed it suspiciously. 

“Suit yourself” he shrugged and placed it on the chair handle before taking a sip from his. They looked at each other for a few moments. 

“I saw Alayah today” he finally said “Portia was questioned by the guards and released. There doesn’t seem to be any evidence linking her to Naultinus’ murder” 

“Not for your lack of trying” Billie snapped “You were ready to throw her to the wolves” 

Alistair frowned. 

“I am a professional, Miss Pica. I promised Alayah I would never implicate any of her girls in my jobs, and I have kept that promise” 

“Then why did she call me?” she asked. 

“Because I asked her to” Alistair smiled “I wanted to finally meet you” 

“Me?” Billie said uncertainly “Why?” 

“You’ve been following me since Varis. I wanted to know why?” 

“And you couldn’t just… find me?” 

“Well I did” Alistair put his glass down on the chair “Though I didn’t expect you to be after the same thing as me” 

“Is that it?” Billie asked “You just want Naultinus’ ledger?” 

“I don’t. My client does” 

Billie smirked “Well tough luck, because I don’t know what was in it either” 

“Really now” 

“I’m just a guard” Billie said as he started walking around her chair “I was only there for Portia” 

“And you expect me to believe that Steller didn’t want the ledger too?” he stopped behind the sofa “Or that you didn’t open it to see what’s in it” 

Billie swallowed hard. If Alistair knew about Steller, it was good guess the Grand General did too. 

“Numbers” she finally shrugged “Just numbers and coded letters. I have no idea what it means” 

“Interesting” 

Billie looked at Allister who seemed deep in thought. 

“What’s really in it?” 

“Coded record of every transaction Gyps has made in the past 4 cycles. All the evidence, to say prove that he financed a conspiracy to get Sulcat deposed” 

“Did he?” 

Alistair smirked and finished the rest of his drink. The door opened and Truda walked in, holding an envelope. Her eyes glanced over Billie as she handed it to Alistair. 

“Well, well” he smiled “Looks like we have a new target” 

Billie felt sick as Alistair sat back down on his chair, smiling. 

“Do you know a Cecilia Regalis?” 

Billie shook her head; she had never heard of the name. 

“She’s a noble” he said “The Grand General’s oldest, closest friend” 

He smiled waiting for Billie’s reaction, but she couldn’t muster anything other than confusion. 

"She’s sickly you see. Rarely goes out. Has had the same servants for cycles. But tomorrow night--” he said and turned the letter towards Billie so she could see what it was: an invitation with a golden rim and ornate letters “--she’s throwing a masquerade” 

“I don’t understand” Billie frowned “I thought you worked for the Grand General” 

“I work for whoever pays me most” Alistair shrugged “And right now, the Grand General is on many a burn list” 

Billie glanced at Truda who stood expressionless, then back at Alistair who seemed to be waiting for a reaction. 

“You and Steller have a lot more in common than you think” she finally said. Alistair laughed. 

“Yes, well Steller’s plan to go to the press is putting me in a tight spot. A nice cold cell, before the guillotine. I’d rather not let Miss Regalis talk to him” 

Billie was at a loss for words. 

“Why are you telling me all of this?” 

“Because, I want you to be my date for tonight” 

Billie glared at Alistair with a mixture of disbelief and confusion. 

"Me? Why? I don’t even know what this lady looks like!” 

“But you know what the Admiral looks like. And all his allies” 

“I’m not going to show you who they are” 

“You don’t have to” Alistair said simply “They will come for you” 

Billie’s heart raced. 

“You said it yourself” she tried to keep her voice measured “It’s been a day, and no one’s come for me. They don’t care” 

Saying that out loud made her feel incredibly alone and afraid. Alistair smirked. 

“Well, then I have no use from you, do I?” 

Billie pulled back on her chair. 

“You’re going to kill me because I don’t want to help you murder some stuck up Admiral?” 

“Interesting choice of words, since if i’m not mistaken you’ve been chasing me for almost a cycle for killing a stuck up noble” 

Billie ‘s fear was replaced with disgust. She leaned forward, as much as the sofa allowed her. 

“I don’t care about Varis” she spat out “You killed my father” 

Alistair’s expression changed; his eyes darted away for a moment, before focusing back onto Billie’s. 

“I’ve killed many dorians” he said simply. 

“Then what’s one more?” Billie spat out “You can go to your stupid masquerade yourself” 

Suddenly Alistair leaned into Billie and grabbed her face. His hand was ice cold, and his nails dug into her cheeks. 

“I just lost the most incriminating piece of evidence thanks to you. You are helping me find this lady, or I’m not going to kill you. I will hand you over to Gyps, and all those guards you pissed off in Redhill. Do you understand?” 

Billie nodded barely and Alistair released her. He cracked his fingers and turned to Truda. 

“Un-cuff her and give her some food. By the time I come back, I expect her to be ready” 

Truda nodded and Alistair left the room. Billie was on the verge of tears; she forced herself to breathe slowly. Truda un-cuffed her from the sofa, but left the shackle on. 

“Follow me” she said. 

Trembling, Billie got up and followed Truda down the hallway. It was clear the area was re-purposed offices; the hallway walls were wooden panels with glass windows through which Billie could see cube rooms full of file cabinets and overturned desks and chairs. Truda lead her into what looked like a training room; lots of dummies were lying around the floor. Desks were piled in the middle and littered with maps, blueprints, letters and leftover wine, and food. 

Truda walked behind a row of file cabinets and procured a plate of bread, lentil soup and tea and put it on the table. Billie sat down feeling exhausted; she didn’t remember the last time she ate. It must’ve been her aunt’s dinner, before the whole mess started. 

“It’s disgusting outside. I can’t believe he expects us to keep watch the whole day-- 

The assassin stopped talking when he saw Billie. Both he and his friend stared at her in surprise; he was dripping wet. 

“New recruit?” he asked Truda. She scoffed. 

“She wishes. Can’t even hold a sword right” 

Billie frowned, but said nothing. The two assassins walked around her, one still suspiciously looking at Billie. 

“Why is she here then?” 

“Alistair wants her for a mission. Dunno why. She’s a liability” 

“I’m right here” Billie finally said. Truda ignored her. 

“Another questionable call” 

Billie rolled her eyes. The last thing she wanted to do was get involved in the arguments of the assassins. She looked out of the window; it was pouring outside. 

***

“You should go to bed”  


Billie looked up; Truda was standing over her, scowling as usual.  


Billie didn’t argue; she nodded sleepily and followed Truda back through the hallway. She had no idea how long she had been napping on the desks, but it was even darker outside, and the rain had only gotten stronger.  


Truda opened the door to a bedroom with many mattresses on the floor. Truda walked over some to get to the end of the room, right next to a short shelf full of books and papers.  


“Take that bed” Truda said “I’ll wake you up when it’s time”  


Billie nodded and lay on the mattress. Almost immediately she fell into deep, restless sleep. Her dreams were violent and messy; she turned around a lot, until finally someone shook her awake.  


“You were crying”  


Billie looked up. The room was empty, and a thin sliver of light escaped between the drapes of the window. There was a thin blanket over her stomach, but she was covered in sweat. When she touched her cheek it was wet, and she felt parched.  


Truda was sitting on a mattress, her back leaned against the wall. She had on loose pants and a shirt with the sleeves cut off. Out of her uniform, Billie realized how skinny she was; there wasn’t a single unnecessary gram on her arms and shoulders, it was all bone and muscle.  


“I couldn’t sleep at all you were so loud”  


“Why didn’t you wake me up sooner?” Billie muttered, slowly proping herself on her elbows.  


“You looked like you needed rest” Truda shrugged “You kept calling out for dorians. Someone named Anthra”  


Billie’s chest tightened and she looked away.  


“Who’s Anthra?”  


“None of your business”  


Truda shrugged again.  


“Must be someone important I bet” she paused a little, examining a paper on the shelf next to her “Maybe a lover”  


“Not anymore” Billie sighed. She had no idea why she even said that. Truda looked at her curiously.  


“Why not?”  


“Because… we just separated”  


“Why?”Did you end it?” Truda’s curiosity got the better out of Billie. She looked at her and sighed.  


“I didn’t… she--” she paused, thinking “she just didn’t want the same things as me”  


“Like what?”  


“Like… I wanted to leave the Capitol. See the ocean. Go to Brevis… get reassigned, maybe in the south. She has a life here and, well… I don’t really know what I want”  


“Why couldn’t she be your life here?”  


“She was”  


Truda looked at Billie intently; Billie had to look away.  


“I loved her. I still do. I just… don’t think I make her happy”  


Truda nodded.  


“What about Alistair?” Billie asked after a while.  


“What about him?”  


“Were you two ever?”  


“No!” Truda exclaimed Why would you ask that?”  


Billie had to smirk. Truda frowned and looked away.  


“He’s...never expressed those intentions. When I found out about Alayah some two cycles ago, I was shocked. He always stroke me as kind of...well uninterested”  


“But you aren’t”  


“It’s platonic”  


Billie frowned.  


“It is!” Truda protested “I’ve known him for too long now. It doesn’t bother me”  


Billie didn’t believe that for a moment, but said nothing. Truda looked pensive.  


“He saved my life”  


“Did he?”  


She nodded.  
“I was born in the gutter. By the time I could walk I could pick pocket. By the time I could read, I was in a gang. There was no out for me. Or so I thought until I met Alistair”  


She looked pensively at the mattress.  


“It was a hot summer day when I was 12. I remember, I was at the Riverfront. I climbed on a boat called “Dania”; I was there to rob the owner, a man called Fishbones.”  


When I got to his quarters, I saw Alistair; he came into the window like a gust of faith. He sliced Fishbones’ throat then went back out. I followed him. He moved so fast I could barely keep up with him; I probably should have given up, but something glued me to him. I ran and flew all the way to the Textile District. And that’s when he finally stopped and asked me what I was doing”  


“And?” Billie asked annoyed.  


“I told him I wanted him to teach me. Train me”  


“To be a killer”  


“To be free” Truda said.  


“Are you free?”  


“Well, more than you right now” she smirked. Billie rolled her eyes and pulled back on the pillow.  


“I have never regretted that day”  


“And how do you live with yourself?”  


“It’s just a job”  


Billie scoffed. Truda frowned and got up.  


“I don’t expect you to understand. You don’t know where we come from. What we would have been if Alistair hadn’t found us. How could you possibly?”  


Billie didn’t respond. Annoyed, Truda walked around her mattress.  


“I left clothes for you and some pie. Alistair wants you ready and in the office by 7. And don’t try to escape. You’ll only piss me off more”  


Billie watched her leave the room and frowned.


End file.
